The Shin Sekai
by Nayrael
Summary: Decades have passed since fall of the Nue and his allies of the Hyaku Monogatari. However, the peace and harmony between humans and youkai is being threatened again, this time by the Shin Sekai (New World), a mysterious faction that recently emerged and, as fate wants it, it will fall on Nura clan's younger heirs to take care of this threat.
1. Chapter 1 - Day of the Ceremony

**Chapter 1**

"Wake up Rihan." a voice and a touch of a cold hand woke up the sixteen years old black-haired boy called Nura Rihan.

"Ah..." he opened his eyes. "Oh, good morning mom." he said to the Yuki Onna who woke him up. "Isn't it too early for school?" he did not need a clock to see what time it is, one look at the window in front of him was enough to make a good guess.

"Would usually be dearie, but today is the ceremony to welcome the new headmaster, remember? So you need to come to school earlier."

"Ah yes, right..." he said, rising up from his futon. A high-ranking member of their clan, somehow, managed to be appointed as headmaster of his high school. Members of the Nura Clan, always looking for an opportunity to hold a celebration, have taken in upon themselves to make this a memorable occassion.

Suddenly, a bowl with some rice appeared right in front of him, "Breakfast Rihan-sama!" said the voice of Oryou, one of his mother's Tsukumogami, and that little fairy-like youkai was no doubt holding the bowl. He found such sights entertaining, and, when he was younger, made them carry around all kinds of things bigger than them... Though it never looked like they minded.

"Oh, thank you Oryou." he said and took the bowl into his hands. Oryou flied up and smiled.

"Well, I am going to wake up now your sister. Wish me luck you two." Tsurara said with an awkward tone and walked out of the room. More often then not, the responsible mother and the irresponsible daughter end up bickering.

And while two parties bicker, the third enjoys the show. "So... wanna bet?" Oryou said with a naughty face.

"Alright. Lets see... Today is an important day for our school and our clan, so mother expects both me and nee-san to take this seriously. So I bet she is not even in her room."

"_RITSURA, WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

"Yay, you are right again Rihan-sama!" She flies up and gives him a small fist-to-fist, as by their tradition. "Well, I guess I owe you another favor."

"_AHH, SHE LEFT HER CELL HERE AGAIN!"_

"By the way Oryou," he started a conversation while eating, "it is kind of silent here. Where is everyone?"

"Mostly at school. Kejorou-san is part of school's staff, due to her pretending to be a nurse, so she has to be there earlier then usual."

"_DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE MY DAUGHTER IS?!" _

"Kubinashi-san has volunteered to help with decorations so he is at school as well."

"_ARCADES?!"_

"Aotabou-sama got some idea of assembling that bike gang of his, and will be using it to spice up the ceremony."

"That can't end well." Aotabou often ends up going too far, and when his biker gang is added to the mix, it goes veeery far.

"_SINCE LAST NIGHT?!"_

"But it will be fun! As you know already, your father the Supreme Commander Rikuo-sama, Kurotabou-sama, Daruma-sama and Shouei-sama are in USA on some important business."

"_DO YOU KNOW AT WHICH ARCADE?!"_

"Karasu Tengu-sama is on a diplomatic mission while Gyuki, and his clan are taking care of some business at their turf. The rest have gone to find some safe place to watch the ceremony from."

"_JUST WAIT YOU LITTLE LADY, ONCE I GET MY HANDS ON YOU..."_

"And Tsurara-nee-san has just left to find your missing sister." she ended with a smile.

* * *

"Just... one more game left..." declared a seventeen years old girl in an arcade. Her white hair and golden eyes, alongside being dressed in a black kimono and wearing a white scarf in summer, made her an unusual sight, but for some reason nobody payed attention to her strange appearance. "Yaaawn..." and due to not sleeping at all for more then twenty four hours she was a little tired, to say the least.

"This is not good Ritsura-sama..." said Jiizo, one of her mother's Tsukumogami and the one who accompanied her today. He looked like an old grandpa with long beard and a stick. "Your mother is going to be angry at both you and me... I beg you to at least take a nap!"

"NO!" she proclaimed. "I swore I'd get in Top 5 at all games here before the school started." she threw a small glance to a seat next to her, where a human girl was sleeping. "Though I'd wish the challenger didn't fall asleep half way in."

"But... today is the... It is very important that you-"

"No... Don't you understand? This is a question of my honor!" she continued talking while playing a fighting game, "What will the other Youkai say if the heiress of the Nura clan broke promises left and right?! Or even worse... That she sucked at these simple games!"

"But you know this will end bad. Your mother will be enraged!"

"Every battle leaves scars."

"What you are saying is that you accept the responsibilities for this deed of yours," a female voice from behind her asked, "right?"

The tired girl answered without thinking, "Yes, I accept it and..." she stopped after realizing it was not Jiizo who asked the last question. She slowly turned around and then smiled. "Hi mom."

"Young lady, you are in so, so much trouble." Her mother said while a GAME OVER message appeared on the arcade's screen.

* * *

Some time later, back in the Nura Clan's mansion.

"Tell me dearie...," Rihan's and Ritsura's angry mom started lecturing, "why does this have to happen all the time?"

"Umm... ha ha ha..." Ritsura, who was sat right in front of her, answered. As usual, not a sign of regret could be seen on her.

And parents naturally don't like that attitude. "That's not an answer."

"What can I say... I am a rebellious girl?"

"We know that. And thats the problem! Look at Rihan!" she said and pointed right, towards a table where Rihan was writing something in his notebook.

"What? I at least finished my homework!"

"I am not doing homework." He said. "I was bored, so I just started doing some of other assignments."

"Ever heard about helping your nee-san?!" the angry sister asked.

"No. And I think mom just got angrier." Rihan had no wish to become a part of their little fights, especially since it usually results in his sister making him share the punishment.

"Oh." she looked back. "Well, you see mom...," she tried to make up an excuse, "I am an adolescent girl in late teens. You know how it is."

And he still didn't get over the last time he got into trouble because of her. "You had been like that since before you even got to teens."

"Thank you little brother. I am trying to pour some water into the fire, and you come and help me with some freaking oil!"

"Enough!" Tsurara proclaimed. "We will talk about this after you get back from school...," she then gave a kind smile, "when you will take care responsibility like you promised. Now eat your breakfast, change into your uniform and go to school!"

Then the doors opened and a bewildered red-haired human girl, with a ponytail and glasses, entered the dining room. "Can someone explain me why I woke up in here?"

"Mom has turned evil and desires some human liver!" Ritsura replied, showing she already forgot (or didn't care) that she did something bad. "And we choose you as a sacriOUCH!"

"Good morning Ichinoe-san." Tsurara said with a smile, after softly chopping her daughter on the head. "I saw you sleeping in the arcades..." she then turned her gaze to Ristura and stopped smiling "...where my dear daughter was fooling around..." then she turns back to the human girl "...and I thought it would be wise to bring you here. Oryou, breakfast for the girls!"

"Here, here!" Oryou flew with two bowls of rice and put them on the table.

"Well, thank you. Yaaawn." Araya said and sat down to eat. The girl, Ichinoe Araya, was a friend of Ritsura and Rihan since middle school. Her special abilities include putting her nose where it doesn't belong (which is why she knows about them being part-youkai), speaking too much (which is why all their friends know about it) as well as getting everyone she knows into trouble (which is why Rihan suspects she is the reason for his sister being in trouble).

"Now if you excuse me, I have chores to attend to." Tsurara said and started leaving the room. When she reached the doors, she turned around and with a creepy smile said. "And plan my daughter's punishment!" she then left the room.

A few moments later Ritsura suddenly yelled at Araya. "I was just a minute away from beating the last game!"

"What game?" The human girl asked with a disinterested tone.

"What?! Last night you challenged me to beat all games in the arcade until it was time for school! Are you claiming you don't remember it?" She said, confirming her brother's suspicions.

"Ah, yes... the game that was supposed to get you into trouble." Araya turned towards Rihan and made a wicked smile. "Oi, you will tell the details of the punishmeeent 'kay?"

"Okay." he said. While both girls in the room have a terrible personality, Araya is on another level and he'd prefer not getting on her bad side.

"Eh?" Ritsura froze for a few moments and then said. "Your true motives aside, I claim I won the bet!"

"Alright, alright... I'll send you money after I end eating." said Ichinoe Araya, also known as _That Rich Girl_... alongside some other nicknames.

"Yes... YES!" Ritsura started rubbing her hands. "Never enough yens… fu fu fu…"

For a moment or two, Araya ate in silence, Rihan wrote in silence and Ritsura was being greedy silence when...

"Hey, what do you mean you wanted to get me in trouble?!"

"I take pleasure in watching people suffer due to my misdeeds." she said while eating. "Can I have seconds?"

"Here ya go!" Oryou flied with another bowl.

"You are not human... You can't be human!" Ritsura said.

"Unlike some here, I am a pedigree." she looked towards Rihan. "Anyway, I am still making plans on how to get your brother into trouble. But it is tough, with him being Mister Nice Guy and all."

"_Part of the reason I am a nice guy is to protect myself from you two!" _ Rihan thought to himself.

"Yeah, why does mom never get angry at you?!" Ritsura started a new topic. "What is your secret recipe Rihan? Tell me!"

"Because I am a good and responsible son." he closed the notebook, no longer in mood to solve the assigments. "But look at it this way: Mothers tend to be more strict towards their daughters, so she has higher expectations."

"Not to mention you are more of a Yuki Onna than a Nurarihyon." Araya joined in. "So she has very high expectations from you. But I guess you are just-"

"Oh you guys are making me blush." Ritsura suddenly started blushing and acting like she was in heaven, and, as a result, the room got colder making Araya shiver. She grabbed one of her mother's Tsukumogami that was flying around. "Here, have some shaved ice. It is on the house."

"...sister, you are so easy to manipulate..."

"Dammit, I accidentally brightened her mood."

* * *

The door suddenly opened, and a blond boy with prickles on his face walked in "Hey Nura's! I was just walking to school when I realized I got up waaay too early so I decided to visit you guys and..." then he opened his eyes and suddenly stopped. "EEEEEEK! Why is Araya-chan in Nura's house this early in the morning? Nura-kun, is there something you have to say to your best buddy!? Or is it you Nura-chan... have you finally fallen to the delicious dark side..."

The boy's name is Shima Ryu, a childhood friend the sibling knew forever due to him being the son of their father's friend. He prided himself a womanizer, and is kind of an airhead.

"Shima, you are jumping to conclusion again..." Rihan sighed.

"Yeah... I was just kidnapped so they could eat my liver." Araya said, seemingly taking a liking to Ritsura's liver conspiracy.

"Wha-..." the ever-naive Shima froze.

"But don't worry...," Ritsura smiled, "she bought herself out of it and offered us... YOUR liver!" she said while slowly standing up.

"Yeah, you saved me from the effort of having to lure you here. Thanks!"

"You guys are kidding, right? Right?!"

"Fu fu fu." Ritsura laughed and stretched out her hand, probably to freeze him a little. "You are not leaving mortal."

"But why...?" he dropped to his knees and started shivering as if he were cold "I thought we were... pals..." he let a tear go down from his face. "But at least... it is for you guys... whom I love... and not for some-"

"Want some rice before school Shima-san?" Oryou flew to him with a bowl of rice, completely ruining the dramatic scene.

Shima looked up towards Rihan.

"They were joking man." his buddy said. "She and sis were at arcades until morning and mom brought them both here."

"Oh." the boy rose up and turned towards Oryou. "Oh Oryou-chan, of course I will take some rice." he gently took the bowl from her. "If you were not so tiny, I'd even ask to take your hand. You woul be a perfect wife." he said with a flirtatious bow. Rihan sometimes thought he'd flirt with everything that can be identified as a female.

Little Oryou blushed. "Well... that is..."

"See what you have done Rihan?" Ritsura commented. "Now we have to witness him flirting with Oryou rather than enjoy looking at his petty reactions. You must be so proud of yourself."

"Go change and lets go to school already..."

* * *

Four high school kids just arrived at the train station. The fact that they were frantically running certainly caught attention of the numerous crowd.

"Good, we came in time." Rihan said while fighting for his breath.

"Damnit girls!" Shima yelled, also fighting for his breath. "I love you as both friends and girls, but damn sometimes I hate you for all the life-threatening troubles you cause us!"

"Sorry, sorry." Ritsura, the only one of them not out of breath, apologized. Her sin was that she, due to not getting any sleep the night before, fell asleep while changing into her school uniform thus wasting their time.

"If that supposed to be a confession, Shima-chan, have a rejection." Araya said with a smile while fighting to stay on her feet. Her sin was that, in order to kill time while waiting for Rihan to find his sister, she started walking around the mansion and, due to some bored youkai who liked to play pranks, she got lost.

"Now listen you two!" Shima Ryu started. "The only thing I want is to have one week... ONE week... without one of you turning my entire day upside-down!"

"Now where is the fun in that?" Araya asked with a smile.

"Come on now, I just-"

"Ah, there you are." a female voice interrupted him.

The group turned towards the source of the sound. The voice belonged to another friend of theirs, a girl with long, curvy orange hair called Onieda Mayuri.

Shima's foul mood completely disappeared. "Oh, my beloved Mayuri-chan! Did you wait for us here, rejecting to leave until..." Shima started fooling around but after seeing that she was angry for some reason, he stopped. "Mayuri-san, why are you looking at us like that?"

"You guys were late. And you guys came together. You were fooling around together, haven't you?" she then turned sad. "Why was I not invited?" Of the three girls, Onieda Mayuri is the only one whom Shima classifies as normal. However, she always tries to fit in this weird group and gets sensitive when she is left out.

"Well, you see Mayuri-chan..." Shima started sweating, as if he did something wrong. "It is not like we planned anything! It is a coincidence we got together, honestly!"

Always leave it to Shima Ryu to make a truth sound like a lie.

"Yeah right." she then shaked her school bag and it produced a sound that made it obvious there was glass in it. "I make some tea for all of us, yet you guys... Sometimes I wonder why I even bother."

A hero stepped forward. "Shima-kun is actually saying the truth this time." Rihan said. "If you want details, I'll explain it all in the train while we drink some of the tea you made for us." he then smiled. "Okay Mayuri-san?"

"Well..." she blushed and looked down. Leave it to a Nura to crush anyone's fighting spirit with a wink or a smile. "We gotta hurry into the train anyway so I guess I'll listen to your story."

* * *

A boy, seemingly in late teens, was sitting on a bench just over the street of the Ukiyoe High School. In contrast to the unusually loud and cheerful school, he was silent. However, he hid it well and was currently pretending to read a popular light novel.

After all, he was an assassin and he knows how to hide his presence, even without using his Fear. No, since his targets were youkai, using his Fear might draw attention to him.

He followed his targets for three weeks now, always choosing another location to stalk them, never allowing anyone to notice him. Stalking Nurarihyon's, who have inborn talent in hiding their presence and slaying their targets before they notice them, for so long is a stressful job. But he is used to having to be patient even in most tense situations.

Then he noticed someone. It were not the Nura Clan's heirs however, but a human girl with short black hair and a plastic flower decoration on her hair. He knew this girl.

Unfortunately, she knew him as well.

"Ah, is it Yasha-kun?" she proclaimed the moment she saw him.

"It is Yashagoro." he replied and put down his book.

"Uwww... too hard to pronounce."

"It is not. 'Ya-Sha-Go-Ro'. _It is the old name of the the villain in 'The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya'. You should already know how to say it damn it! _To be honest, he'd have prefered to not use his true name, but she overheard one of his friends talk to him. After that incident, he ordered his subordinates to not approach him while he is out.

"Alright, then I'll say it is too uncute." she replied and sat down on the bench.

This girl's lack of manners... He met this girl called Kibiki Sakura two weeks ago. Her curiosity must have been higher than his skills and she ended up noticing him and, for some reason, marked him as friend material. To make it worse, she notices him every now and then.

After few failed attempt to force her to stay away from him, he gave in and befriended her.

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked. "Oh, are you maybe curious at what goes on in my school?"

"Oh, so this is your school?" due to the tendency to stumble uppon her near this school, he already concluded she attends it. However, he pretended to be oblivious.

She nodded.

"Well, I was passing by it today and noticed that it is louder than usual so I took interest."

"Well, it is because we are getting a new headmaster... who seems to have some wealthy and cheerful friends so..." she stopped for a moment, as if in thought. "Hyaaah!" she suddenly screamed, making Yashagoro jump up for a moment. "Hey, why don't you come in? It is open to everyone today and I'd be very happy to show you around!"

"Ah... is it so... "

_Dammit! I put myself in a bad situation here. Usually, he would consider this to be a good opportunity to check how the school looks like from inside, but he already broke into it few nights ago so it would be useless._ he thought.

"Yep, it is!" she said with a happy smile. "So, come with me!"

"Mhm, I'd be glad to." after admitting his curiosity, he had no choice but to say yes. Though he doubted that this girl, who seems to have developed a crush on him, would accept a no anyway. _I always make such blunders around this girl... Guess I am getting too relaxed in her company. Damn, I can't afford to act like some teenager on a date!_

"Then lets go!" she grabbed his hand and took him with her.

Luckily he doesn't seem to know the Nura's so there is little risk of meeting them. It is preferable for an assassin to be fully unknown to the targets and those close to them.

Talking about the Nura's, his youkai eyes noticed both of them and their three friends walking in the distance. He moved his gaze away, not wanting to risk getting noticed by them.

And so the tense patience continues until an opportunity shows itself.

And an opportunity always shows itself... and then the snake will bite.

* * *

California, USA.

Michael Dower McRein, a wealthy man and co-owner of one of America's most profiting store chains was staying in a restaurant in a small town in California.

Usually people of his status tend to eat in more luxurious locales or at home, but he prefered the atmosphere in places like this one, possibly because it is a place like this where his career started. For thirty years now he sat in simple locales, eating simple food and using his computer to control his assets. And he has no intentions to abandon that habit.

But something was weird today. He couldn't put his finger on what, but some strange sensation ran through him. He thought it was due to that meeting from an hour ago, but now he was sure it was something else, so he decided to finish what he was doing on his computer earlier. He already finished his food and all that remained was to call for his driver and bodyguards and leave in his limousine.

But when he rose up, he saw something was amiss: the locale was empty. It was 2PM so the locale should be bustling with customers but even the employers have gone somewhere.

But what really creped him out was the fact that window shutters were. Besides his computer and cellphone, there was no light here. The place was pitch-dark.

"What... how did I not notice anything?" he thought loudly.

Then someone said something in a foreign language. He looked around but saw nobody.

"What? Who's that? Where are you?!"

"Because making people not notice me is my _Fear_." A sound came from the seat opposite to where he was sitting.

Dower jumped back. "What? When did you come here?!" he yelled at him.

"I was here for around ten minutes." The voice said.

"What? I am sure you were not there a moment ago!"

"I was. As I said, it is part of my... oh sorry, you may not know what I speak about. Lets say it is my magical ability to make people not notice me."

"Magical abilities? Don't give me that crap!" he started walking back and bumped into someone. Dower turned around and saw a tall, hooded man. "Eeeek!" he retreated.

He then noticed that this tall person was the only normal thing here. His eyes soon saw a weird old man in orange Japanese clothing holding a Japanese sword as well as some Japanese monk with a spear and huge hat.

"What is... Who are you people?"

"We are Yakuza." The voice behind him said. Dower turned around and looked at this person. He was wearing common clothings but his eyes were red and his hair... unnatural. "A Youkai Yakuza to be exact."

"Yo...ukai?" youkai was a word for Japanese demons if Dower understood it correctly. Due _to that project_, he tended to hear it often these days.

"Yes, youkai. I am Nura Rikuo, leader of the strongest Youkai Yakuza." he stretched his hand towards the seat where Dower was sitting up till now. "Please sit. I want to have a talk with you."

"Youkai... Are you part of _that group_? I already met with one of your guys today." he said and sat, not wanting to risk anything.

"No, I am not part of _that group_. To be more precise, I believe they might be my enemies."

Dower's heart started to beat faster.

"No need to make such a face. Trust me, I am not bad guy." he gave him a smile. Something in that smile calmed him down, but his rationality alerted him of danger again.

"W-What do you want from me mister Rikuo?"

"Just to be sure we are on the same page here, the man you had talked with an hour ago was from that group that calls itself _New World_, right?"

"New World?" Dower started laughing. Seems this youkai made a mistake. "No, no, they are called _Shin Sekai_. I think you-"

"Ah, so they are using the Japanese name..." Rikuo put a hand on his own cheek and looked aside.

Dower's smile disappeared. He felt stupid for not realizing that the group's name must have meant something in Japanese.

Rikuo Nura turned his gaze back to Dower. "Anyway, who was that man and what were you talking about?"

"...do you think I can just say something like that Jap?! If they find out I told you anything, they will-"

"Don't worry, I am not merciless. You see, I have a thousand strong youkai serving under me and you can be sure they are stronger than anything this Shin Sekai has to offer. I'll send few to protect you until it is safe." he then sent him another comforting smile. "Deal?"

"Just to be sure, can I trust you? I have a wife and two sons, one of whom will give me a grandchild in few months. Do you promise me that they will be safe."

Nura Rikuo said simple "Yes." However, Dower could see some strong determination on his face. He did not know anything about this man, but something told him he can trust in him.

"Alright then. These guys make me feel disgusting and I'll help any way I can. What do you need from me?

"Just say all you know."

"Alright." he took out some cigarettes from his pocket. "Mind if I take a smoke?"

"Feel free to. But it is not healthy for your-"

"Anyway, I don't know much about this group." Dower cut off his redundant advice. "One day some creepy men came to my office to discuss a business proposal. They announced themselves as some Computer Security Experts, but as soon as they entered, I knew that something was amiss."

"How so?"

"Guess it is that Fear you mentioned for I sure was filled with fear soon enough." he replied, breathing out a big puff of smoke. "Anyway, they didn't lose time in showing me that they were not normal humans. Four people entered, and two of them turned into...," Dower stopped for a moment. The memory as so unnatural and unbelievable that he wanted to think it was just a dream, "...into monsters. I tried to scream, but suddenly another monster appeared behind me and put a hand on my mouth. Suffice to say, they were even less pelasant than your bunch! Then they started talking about some youkai stuff but they soon realized that I really didn't want to know anything about it so they stopped, instead focusing on how they could help me and how I could help the humanity."

"Humanity?"

"Yes, humanity. Though I am not sure how monsters like them can..." he noticed Rikuo narrow his eyes at him using word monster. "Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to… Anyway. They said that computer technology is not the only way for humanity to advance and said something about enslaving and using youkai... now that I think about it, I think they even used that word Fear... well, they made many big promises, even offered to give me few monsters for a gift, an offer I kindly rejected."

"What did they want from you?"

"They wanted to change the world with it they said... guess thats where the name comes from." Dower continued, not immediately answering his question. "What they needed from me were funds. As long as I give them funds, me and other sponsors will be rewarded in future."

"And you accepted?"

"As I said, I have a wife, two sons and soon a grandchild. They were insane and had monsters! You think I am stupid enough to reject?"

"Yeah, good point."

"Anyway, thats all I know. The man from today came to tell me that I don't need to invest that much anymore. However, I know enough of business to know how to read between the lines: they wanted more funds or I am getting removed from the deal." Dower put his cigarete into the ashtray. "I don't care what they are. I don't want to know. I want to keep my family safe and I will continue giving them funds for that. Please understand." He looked towards Nura Rikuo who nodded. "Thank you. However, I am not proud of this and I hope you do something about them, if you truly can. I don't know anything about you youkai, but I am sure they would be bad news for everyone." He got up from his seat. "Can I leave now?" Rikuo nodded.

"So we didn't find out anything useful." Nura Rikuo put his hands behind the back of his head and yawned. He also released this place from his Fear.

"At least we found out what these Financiers do as well as that they don't know much about this Shin Sekai." Daruma said. "It ain't much, but with such secrecy even this is worthwile."

Employes came back and started wondering who closed the shutters. They payed no heed to Rikuo's group.

"We also found out that they claim to be fighting for humanity's sake." Kurotabou added. "Claim." he repeated as if to put emphasis on it. After all, he was once manipulated by a man who claimed the same and wanted the opposite.

"At least time is a bit more than what we found out from the group in Japan." Shouei joined in.

"Still, it is not much. What Dower said is what we already expected." The shutters opened and Nura Rikuo's form became more human and his white hair turned into brown. As to not put a burden on him, his companions also took a more human form.

_The Shin Sekai (The New World)_. A highly secretive group that appeared few years ago and had mixed itself into some of events that happened in the youkai world. After a year of searching, they found out disturbingly little about them.

But what they know is worrisome. They know they have onmyouji and youkai in their ranks. Furthermore, these youkai seem to be young, hinting that they even have Hyakku Monogatari's remnants as their allies, a youkai clan Rikuo was not fond of.

And as if those two were not enough, they have other resources at their disposal as well like money and computer hackers. Due to an archive of an Internet chat, part of which they managed to read before hackers destroyed it, they suspect they even have armed human forces. It is as if the whole world had united in order to accomplish something bad.

And Rikuo was certain it was bad... and that they wanted to do something big. Even their name suggests it.

And thats why Rikuo was in USA: the group was careful in Japan but the Nura clan found some clues that the Shin Sekai acts outside Japan as well, and that they make connections with people who could be more talkative.

Michael Dower McRein was one such person and while they didn't find out much, they got a decent amount of information from that one man, although still less than they have hoped for. Rikuo was sure one of other financiers, likely one who is more interested in this project, could give them more information.

"Anyway, is it alright for you to leave your turf for so long? You could have just sent us here, Rikuo-sama." Kurotabou changed the topic.

"Nice sounding idea. I sure would like to go home to be with Tsurara and kids, but..." he took out his cell and opened the document with people they need to pay a visit,"...do you really expect me to sit at home and do nothing? Also, it would be too dangerous to send you guys alone here. We have an army in Japan, but nothing overseas."

"Which endangers you, Rikuo-sama. You are more valuable than..." Shouei started.

"Please cut it. If I protected my skin like that, I'd have gotten nowhere."

"True, but this brings me to another question..." Daruma started. Rikuo already knew what he wanted to say and they have gone through it a dozen times. "Isn't it about time to make Ritsura or Rihan the underboss? While Gyuki-dono is skilled and trustable, it would be better if your blood governed the affairs at home."

"It is still too early." Rikuo rejected him.

"But you were younger when you became the Surpreme Commander, Rikuo-sama." Shouei complained.

"The situation then and now is different. Back then I had no choice but to take over the leadership. However, there is no reason for the kids to bother with such stuff until they at least reach the human age of adulthood." He put an emphasis on the last part. "Let them lead their school life in peace. There is plenty of time to bother with this stuff later on, if they wish so."

"But..."

"Enough! We have a long ride ahead of us and I am getting sleepy."

Thirteen years may make you an adult in eyes of the youkai, but not in eyes of he humans. And Rikuo agreed with the humans on this matter.

He still remembers how burdensome it was to become a young commander at such young age, and the last thing he'd want to is to force those responsibilities on his own children, especially since it is not needed. To allow Ritsura and Rihan to lead better lives is currently the thing he cares the most about.

* * *

**Author's notes:** ...and thats how one day I decided to start writing a fanfic for one of my favorite Manga series (Nayrael's lame attempt to skip over hard-to-make first sentences ;P )

The story happens few decades later, with Rikuo's and Tsurara's (had to make a tough decision between her and Yura on whose kids would give for a better setting) kids being the main characters, though quite a few both canon and original characters will be present as well. Since I didn't know how the Manga would end at time I started planning it out, freely consider this a partially AU fic, though I'll give my best to stay loyal to the lore of NuraMago as much as possible.

The name itself implies a few things. One of them is the obvious reference to the villainous faction described in Rikuo's part of the chapter. However, it also signifies ambitions of some of more radical characters and, mostly, change in generations. But to tell you the truth onwhy I chose this name... I suck at picking titles so I took first thing that sounded good ;P

Might also comment on the names of the children: Rihan was chosen because of naming conventions in the Nura Clan: Rihan practically means Ri-half, Rikuo Ri-quarter and now that the son's ratio of youkai blood is near half, Rihan looked like an obvious choice.

Ritsura may sound like it was inspired by a pairing nickname, but it is naming conventions again: Ri- from nura clan and -tsura- which is present in both Tsurara's and Setsura's name.

Anyway, hope you enjoy reading it and hope you post your reviews and opinions!

Many thanks to my Alpha-reader **Citsimsan** who helped me a lot with his advices and opinions these months as I planned and wrote it and many thanks to my Beta-reader **Suki90** who saved me from embarrassment called "Horrible Grammar mistakes dude!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Oh god, I am more nervous than I thought I'd be…" Kibiki Sakura said silently to herself, as they walked through the school gates.

Yashagoro understood what she was talking about and why, but he still asked. "What are you nervous about Kibiki-san?" he asked as he gave her an innocent, composed smile just to make her feel even more nervous.

"I…I... umm… I am kind of afraid of crowds! Yeah, that's right!" Kibiki made excuses.

"Hmmm? Didn't you say that you hated solitude the other day?" might as well turn it into entertainment.

"I…" her face started turning red. "You see, I am a girl who believes into achieving perfect balance!" she made up another ridiculous excuse. "Yeah, that's right, perfect balance."

He opened his mouth to challenge her again, but she raised her finger to silence him.

"You see! I… ummm… when I was a kid I watched that one Anime where…" the girl didn't want to get embarrassed again so she didn't give him a chance to talk.

_Well, I'll just use my usual tactic: Wait for an opportunity and attack. Talking about that, I could use this opportunity to-… _

Suddenly, his mind has gone numb.

No, thats wrong. Some unnaturally strong Fear forced him to switch his attention elsewhere.

The bustling noises ceased and even faces of everyone became blurred in his eyes. There is only that fountain with a stone pillar in the school courtyard.

Against his own will, he started to walk towards it. With every step, he was more and more horrified.

"Yasha-s… wher… oing? Wa…" from far distance he could hear Kibiki's words. But he was forced to ignore them.

He was afraid. With every step he was more and more afraid. But he had to continue walking.

His body suddenly stopped.

He could feel Kibiki asking him some questions… and he answered them, but himself did not pay attention to it.

There was a presence standing behind him. He was not sure if it is his inborn instincts, or this Fear that made him aware of it.

He noticed himself asking Kibiki to bring him some drink while he rests on the edge of the fountain. He wasn't sure why he did it nor remembered what words he spoke.

That unknown person stood in front of him. He looked at this person but couldn't make himself pay attention to anything. It is just like he knew that someone was in front of him, but wasn't aware how the person looked like, sounded like or what the person was wearing.

"You are that person that has been sneaking around this area last few weeks aren't you?" the voice said. "You're searching for the _New World_?"

"For what?"

"So you ain't one of them… Are you seeking to make a name for yourself and add your Tale to the Hundred of Tales?"

"What are you talking about?"

"So you ain't a sleeping agent either. Well then, don't do anything stupid in this school and you'll be safe. I put all my Fear into this tale and I assure you, you are too weak to do anything against it." the person said and left.

And the world returned to being normal. A moment later, Kibiki Sakura came carrying drinks.

"Here, just as you asked."

"Thank you Kibiki-san." he replied. "Hopefully it will help me get rid of this nausea."

"Thank goodness…" she said with a big relief. "For a moment I thought the Koko no Kira claimed you…"

"Koko no Kira? What is that?"

"An Urban legend about this school. Nothing you should-"

"Could you tell me about it?" for some reason he was certain that, whatever this was, it had something to do with that Urban Legend Sakura just mentioned.

Kibiki looked distressed. Yashagoro noticed that some other students were looking at him with scared expressions as they walked past him.

"I… Come on, there are more pleasant things to talk abo-"

"Please?" he wanted to know about it.

"Well… Alright." she sighed and sat next to him. "You know about that incident at a middle school in around three years ago?"

He nodded. The whole youkai world knew it.

Three years ago, an unknown youkai clan invaded a middle school in Nakano City and killed great many students in it as well as some civilians outside. Until this day, nobody knows who did it although the Nura clan and its allies were searching for it without a break.

However, the media were controlled and the story never officially got out, and, mysteriously, the students in the school forgot about it while the victims were made to look like they moved away. Yashagoro guessed some powerful Onmyouji clan was asked to control the situation.

However, you can't hide anything from the Internet. This is now practically public knowledge that very few want to talk about.

"They say that the souls of the killed students couldn't rest without getting avenged and they somehow gave birth to a youkai called Koko no Kira which is somehow supposed to oppose the murders."

"But that was in Nakano City. Why are we talking about them here?"

"They say that, for some unknown reason, it moved here and is now protecting this school from anyone who wants to harm someone inside the school's grounds."

_Ah… and since I wanted to harm the Nura's, who are students here, this Koko no Kira wanted to…_

"What does it do to its victims?" he asked, pretending to be excited. If he looked scared, he would look suspicious… But by this way he would look like a curious student.

Her face softened up a little, probably due to being relieved that her crush didn't look like a villain. "Well…" she pointed a finger at the pillar in middle of the fountain. He now noticed that some words were written on it. "They say that the potential villains would be attracted to it and forced to read what is written there. And that would transport them to an alternative, dark versión of the school where youkai rule. And the Youkai would… harm them."

"Interesting…"

"Anyway, I want to go inside. Lets go!" she took his hand and forced him to leave with her. Naturally, she would not want to discuss this topic any further.

Seems like he won't be able to harm Nura's here without making a powerful enemy along the way. Well, not that he needs to do it here anyway.

* * *

Kejorou let herself fall onto a seat in one of classrooms, which was now filled with partying youkai of the Nura Clan.

She was the chosen one to take care of the party preparations, but as she soon found out it was a more stressful job than she expected. Not only did they need to put up decorations and get enough food and drinks, but they also had to reserve the eastern wing of the school, find a way to keep the human students away and, more importantly, take care that none of the drunk youkai leave the southern wing, especially the ones who can't take a human form.

Suddenly, something hit her from behind. She fell from her seat and hit the wall with her head.

"Who… is…?" she turned around and looked at the culprit. "Kubinashi?"

The head of her comrade Kubinashi was rolling on the floor. Judging by how red it was, he was drunk. "Oi, sorry Kino-chaaan…"

"Sorry my…" her hair got longer and grabbed Kubinashi's poor head.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" he apologized while she looked around.

The until now loud classroom turned silent as she was searching for the culprits. Someone threw Kubinashi's head at her and she was going to find out who it was.

It didn't take long to see who was trying to hide himself. "Listen Kejorou-san, it was an…" Houkou, a wolf-like youkai, started apologizing.

Kejorou didn't care. She spinned Kubinashi's head around and threw it into Houkou with all her might, making them both hit the wall at the end of the classroom.

"FIIIIIGHT!" someone yelled and suddenly the whole classroom erupted into friendly, but messy, fights.

"Oh no… what have I done?" Kejorou put a hand on her forehead. "I'll never get this into ord-"

"Need help Kino?" a girl's voice asked her. There is only one person, besides Kubinashi, who uses that name.

"Oh, Ritsura-sama. No I don't-"

"Yeah right." Ritsura walked into the classroom and clapped her hand. "Can I have some peace and quiet here please?" she asked without rising her voice. Naturally, very few heard her and none obeyed. "Alright… then allow me to join the fun. There is something I want to try anyway…" She said and took out a fan from her pocket.

Kejorou didn't recognize this technique but she retreated back a few steps nevertheless. Past has proven that standing hear this girl when she gets aggressive is not a healthy idea.

Ritsura raised her fan and cold air started collecting around her. The ones close enough to feel the cold stopped fighting and jumped towards the walls. The rest also noticed the incoming attack but when they stopped firghting to look at the girl, it was already too late.

"_Samui no Arashi_!" she yelled and waved her fan. A small gust of wind stormed through the classroom in front of her, freezing whatever it touched. A moment later everyone was either on the floor or sitting on their knees, freezing. "Please, we will have a battle royale later if you want. Right now however, I don't want to see anyone causing a ruckus in this school. Is that clear?!"

"Y-Yes Ritsura-sama!" few who could open their mouths spoke.

Ritsura turned back towards Kejorou. "I think I went a little overboard. Well, this is the first time I used this, so…"

"Where did you learn that Ritsura-sama?" Kejorou asked her. She was sure neither Tsurara nor Setsura used anything like this.

"Reira-san brought another Yuki Onna as a guest the last time I visited Toono to train, so she thought me this. Quite useful if you have a weapon in your hand." she said, then started using the fan to cool her face. "And is good for other more general uses."

"I see…" Kejorou said and sighed. Learning techniques from other Yuki Onna's has become a usual occurrence for this girl.

"By the way Kino…," Ritsura gave her an angry look, "…did you forget about the Koko ni Kira?"

"Well, nobody here would hurt anyone intentionally, so…"

"Not worth the risk, so don't agitate it any further." she turned around. "Did you hear me guys? No fights or Koko no Kira will eat you!"

"Yes Ritsura-sama!"

She then gracefully turned back to Kejorou. "We should find a way to get rid of this. It gives me shivers and I…" she looked at someone behind Kejorou. "Oh Shima, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?!" Shima Ryu shouted from the doors. He did not dare enter the youkai-filled room. "You said you brought me here to introduce me to some girls and you ended up creating a blizzard!"

"By the way Ritsura-sama, where is Rihan-sama?" Kejorou asked.

"Hey, let her answer my question fir-"

"Oh, I left him with Onieda, Araya and some other girls." she answered, while cooling herself with the fan. "As his nee-san, I must take care that he doesn't graduate from the school as a boy who never had a girlfriend." she than closed her fan and pointed it towards Shima, no doubt trying to make herself look cool. "Which is why he is here: I didn't want him to ruin his chances."

"_You are older, but you are single as well."_ Kejorou thought to herself but left it unsaid.

"You damn vixen! I have it enough, I am going to-" he started turning around when…

"There you are, beautiful!" one of the youkai girls yelled.

Reflexively, Shima Ryu turned around with a huge smile and proclaimed "You mean me sweethe-" he stopped when he opened his eyes and saw a female rat youkai run towards him. "AAAAAHH!" he yelled and started running while she continued chasing him. The two of them had that kind of bond for years now.

Kejorou looked at the young Yuki Onna cooling herself with a fan. "You knew she would be here, didn't you?"

"Well, I saw her from the courtyard, spying on our dear little Shima so… yeah." she theatrically closed her fan. "Anyway Kino, lets return to Koko no Kira."

_Oh no… _"What about it Ritsura-sama?" Kejorou asked with a smile.

"What are we doing about it?"

"Oh there is no need to worry about that Ritsura-sama. We were looking into this youkai for weeks now." Kejorou said a lie. Rikuo would look into it when he returned but, under his orders, they had to keep the kids out of such business. If she say that they were waiting for Rikuo's return, Ritsura would take the matter into her own hands.

True, she tries to take it now as well. But trying to take it is still better than actually taking it. "Ohh, tell me about it."

"As I said, no need to worry about it. It is not going fast, but up till now this youkai didn't hurt anyone innocent." Though it did hurt few who fools that wanted to hurt Nura Rikuo's children as well as some less friendly youkai who wanted to mess with the students.

"Tz." Ritsura gave an angry reply. "Forget about it." she said and walked out of the classroom without saying anything else.

Kejorou sighed. She hated whenever this happened.

Rikuo's intentions may be understandable, but his daughter and heiress is not taking his overprotection too well. While young Rihan has shown little interest in leadership, especially when he grew older, his sister has been growingly excited about it since she was a kid. She always saw herself as _Daddy's Little Underboss_ and is now frustrated due to not holding that title. By tradition, she could have become the Underboss at age of thirteen but she is seventeen now and she still isn't formally recognized as his heiress.

While everyone else knew Rikuo was just wanting the best for her, a child will have its doubts. Maybe thats why she constantly seeked to be stronger: She thought her father saw her as someone weak. At the time, it actually proved to be good motivation for her.

But now the young girl doubts that as well, and her rebellious age makes it all worse for her thus this girl, who in the past tried to show herself as a responsible daughter (though still being a little prankster), now looks for any opportunity to vent herself and acts more and more irresponsible, a trait that some in the clan do not respect.

The girl has both will and ability to make a good leader of the clan, and Kejorou hopes this all gets resolved soon. On other hand, she also hopes that little Nura's get no reason to carry the burden of leadership. The only reason Rikuo did was because _that tragedy_ occurred after all.

Kejorou sighed again. "_I fear the day when I myself become a parent… Just standing aside is stressing me to no end."_

She suddenly remembered that she forgot about someone who may need medical attention after getting his head thrown around and frozen. "Kubinashi!"

* * *

"_Damn it sister…"_ Rihan thought while, with a smile, answering various questions to the curious girls around him in one of the less crowded hallways. He felt like a politician talking with excited media.

"Hey Nura-kun, I was wondering…" one of the girls started. "…have you ever traveled somewhere overseas? Someone from a rich family like yours must have used that opportunity at least once!"

"Nah, I have never traveled overseas." he answered. "Also, we aren't exactly wealthy…"

"Say that again?! You live in a big mansion I heard!" she replied. "And have many underlings!"

"Maybe he is comparing himself to Ichinoe-sama?" one commented and looked towards a girl who was leaning against the wall and read a magazine of some kind, seemingly disinterested in their little conversation. "After all, he is often hanging around her and she would make anyone feel humble."

"Speaking about the mansion…" another girl changed the topic. "…I heard it is filled with youkai. Is that true?"

"Actually, I heard that both you and your sister might be..."

"Ha ha ha… Well girls, even if we were we would not admit it, now would we?" he said and laughed a bit.

The girls nodded and laughed with him.

"Oh yes, Nura-kun… Do you have a girlfriend yet?" one of the girls then asked and everyone froze.

_Oh no…this can't end well… "_Well, I still haven't found the _Special Someone_, but…"

Some of the girls gave him big smiles while the others suspiciously looked towards growingly distressed Onieda Mayuri and the still disinterested Ichinoe Araya.

Mayuri didn't seem to like this kind of attention so she joined in asking questions. "So Rihan-kun, have you ever been in… uhmm… life-threatening situation?"

"Well you see, I…"

Suddenly, he could hear someone running and, from around the corner, Shima Ryu quickly walked out, for some reason fighting for his breath.

"Oh look who is here!" Araya suddenly said. "The very man who saved Nura-kun's life _that day_!"

"Huh?" Shima was surprised… as was Rihan.

"I still remember that day so clearly…" Araya put her hands on her chest. "When Rihan-san almost died in that river, but you saved him and… so passionately breathed life back into his chest…" she looked to him. "It was so… touching…"

""What? That never-"" the boys started but were cut off by the girls.

"KYAAAAAH!" some girls started screaming. "BL! BL!"

"You bastard…" others started getting angry. "…Rihan-sama's first kiss…"

"What? No girls, this is a-" Rihan started, but then Araya kicked Shima and he found himself in front of the female army… which slowly started to walk towards him.

"DETAILS!" Some started to yell "What was the feeling? Did your tongues t-t-t-t…"

"Let me touch those lips that touched Rihan-sama!" some girls got too excited.

"I shall feast upon your entrails, you bastard!" others were excited at another idea.

Rihan tried to say something to save his friend, but then Araya grabbed his hand. "Lets leave this boring group while we have a chance. Onieda-san, you too!"

"_I am sorry Shima… I could not save you…"_ Rihan thought to himself and looked back at his friend. "_May our friendship in next life… end less tragically."_

"HEEEAVEEEEN COOMEEE!" happy Shima yelled as the female army descended on him.

* * *

"I don't get it. Why does nobody trust in me?" Ritsura complained in the Headmasters Office. "Is it because I am fat?"

"No… you can't even be called fat." The newly appointed Headmaster Hitotsume answered while sitting in front of his desk in his new office and smoking a pipe. Actually, this whole celebration is held to honor his promotion.

"Is it because I am ugly then? No way, I am extremely beautiful…"

"How humble of you."

"Is it because I am weak then? I can get stronger!"

"You are a weapon of mass destruction Ojou-san." Hitotsume breathed out a big cloud of smoke. "Anyway… why are you in my offiAAAH-OUCH!"

Ritsura breathed out cold air into his eye and he fell from his seat and then hit the table with his eye.

"Don't you be puffing smoke clouds into me." she said to him.

"S… Sorry…" he said and rose back up. "Anyway… you must show some spirit girl!"

"I am always showing spirit." She answered.

"No, no…" he complained while taking a tissue from his pocket. "…you must TAKE it." He wetted the tissue by putting it into a vase and then put it onto his eye. "You gotta show them all who the boss is and if someone complains, kick their ass! Well, thats how First would have done it."

"Hm hm…" she nodded and then noticed a box of confiscated Manga. "It is starting to sound quite attractive." seeing how Hitotsume can't see anything, she sneaked to the box and started checking the Manga she could steal. "But that is a tad bit too radical and uncalled for."

"Well, that was just my suggestion."

"So I will kick something else's ass!" she decided it was too bothersome to pick few so she took the entire box. There is enough Nurarihyon blood in her to be able hide it in plain sight from this guy.

"Something big?" Hitotsume wondered. "Just what could that be?"

"I'll get rid of Koko no Kira." She said while returning to her seat with a box in her arms.

"Oh… you will kill Koko no KIIIIIRAAAA?!" Hitotsume yelled, jumped up, fell from his seat and hit the table with his eye again.

"Yes!" she completely ignored his reaction. "I'll kick that dangerous youkai from this school… or kill it trying!"

"No no no no no way! NO FREAKING WAY!" he jumped up at pointed his finger at the broom in corner of the room. "I may be one of those who call you _Underboss_, but there is no way I am allowing you to risk my school by offending that thing!"

"You sure do care about your school, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" he answered to the broom. "You all have been complaining how I do nothing for centuries and I prove you all wrong by taking this comfy seat here! I can't allow myself to lose it in a week and look like a fool!"

"Oh… and there I thought you were worried about the students."

"Of course I am! Lose of one of them will risk my title! The fact that there is a dorm constantly filled with students here already makes me nervous!"

"There is no guarantee that it will immediately attack students… well, there is no guarantee that it won't either but I find it unlikely."

"Please… please I beg you." he kneeled and started bowing before the broom. "For all these times I have been your loyal supporter… show me some mercy please!"

"…you are my supporter because I forced you to be."

"Reasons don't matter!" he cried. "Oh wait, you are there… I am sorry. Wait, why didn't you tel-"

"Alright alright… there are enough enemies around. I'll find something dangerous and kill it."

"Thank you, thank you… but are you sure it will-"

Suddenly loud noises ended their conversation. Something is wrong.

"My chance for glory!"

"MY SCHOOL!"

* * *

"The prophecised day has finally come, my Hyaki Yakou." he said while walking left and right. "This… is one of those events that just scream for us to arrive and honor it with out presence. IS THAT NOT SO?!"

"YES IT IS!"

"INDEED! But… up till now, the defenders of law had managed to find a way to thwart our attempts to size glory."

"BOOO!"

"But not only them! No, even our own close ones stood in our way… stopping us from doing what we want!"

Many nodded in agreement.

"BUT NOT TODAY!" he yelled and raised his fist.

"NOT TODAY!"

"NO, for many of you, my Hyaki Yakou, have sacrificed yourselves to keep the meddlesome defenders of law at bay. We will not let their sacrifice go to waste!"

"No we shall not!"

"RIGHT!" he shouted and jumped onto his bike. "SO LETS ROLL!"

"YES AOTABOU-SAMA!"

The biker gang Hyaki Yakou turned on their bikes and left to make a show in front of the Ukiyoe High. This was their moment of glory and nothing shall stand in their way.

Many bikers started circling around the school while the others started doing stunts in front of the school gates, attracting every living soul inside the school.

"All bow before the Night Parade of Hundred Demon Bikers!" someone yelled using an aged megaphone. "And its mighty leader, the great Aotabou-sama!"

"ORYAAAAA!" he yelled and started riding towards the school, with two bikers getting close to him and ridding beside him. "I shall now show you all our FEAR!" he shouted, grabbed the two bikes and threw them into air.

Everyone in school, as well as most of the bikers, turned silent from shock.

But the thrown bikers have stayed composed and even made their bikes turn around in the air. Aotabou made a U turn, grabbed them as they closed to the ground and threw them infront of him, with them continuing to ride for some time before stopping.

A moment of silence, and the school exploded in cheering.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY SCHOOL AT MY SPECIAL DAY?!" Hitotsume ran out and started crying.

"Aotabou, what is the meaning of this?!" the fourth heir, Ritsura, also ran out. "I told you that y-HEY!"

"Now now Ojou-sama…" Aoutabou said while holding her like a kitten. "Lets all have some fun." he then threw her in front of him.

Hitotsume was not pleased. "Hey, let the-HEY!"

"You too Hitotsume-dono." he grabbed him and put him on his back. "You better hold me good!" he said and started another series of crazy stunts.

"EEEK!" Hitotsume cried.

"I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!" Ritsura cried.

* * *

"Seems like something fun is going on in front of the school gates." Araya commented while the crowds around them ran toward the source of the commotion.

"Should we check it out?" Mayuri asked while looking at Rihan. They both were guessing that this has something to do with the Youkai from the Nura Clan.

For a moment, Rihan planned to agree but then his eyes caught a certain object. "Whatever it is, nee-san will take care of it. You girls go if you are interested." he said and started walking in the opposite direction.

He didn't look if they followed him or if they went to check the scene. He was too focused on his destination.

It didn't take long to reach it now that the crowd dispersed. "Koko ni Kira's Pillar…"

"Hmm, you are more interested in something that will be here all the time than whatever is happening outside?" Araya's voice asked. He turned around and saw that the girls followed him.

"As I said, whatever it is nee-san will take care of it." he shrugged with his shoulders. "Besides, when you live in a youkai mansion, crazy stuff happens all the time."

"I am not sure if I should be feeling lucky that my life is more normal or jealous." Mayuri commented.

"So, what attracts you to this pillar?" Araya asked.

He looked at her, surprised she is asking this, but then he remembered. "Ah yes… we didn't meet until second year of the middle school so you don't know… well, it is not like I like talking about it." he turned back to the stone pillar in middle of a fountain.

"Hmmm?"

After few moments of Rihan staying silent, Mayuri decided to explain it. "You see Araya-chan… Rihan-kun was… he was in Nakano the day _that_ happened."

"What? The slaughter?" Araya asked in her usual tone, without even trying to sound considerate.

The fact that she had no common courtesy and acted like these tragedies are something that happened in a story or something was something Rihan came to hate, no matter how good of a friend she usually was.

"I had friends who died in that incident." he said coldly.

"My condolences." she replied, again not showing signs of remorse. Rihan sent her a cold look.

"Umm, why don't we go check on those sounds?" Mayuri tried to stop this unpleasant conversation between her two friends. "They aren't stopping after all this ti-"

"Did your parents raise you to be such a spoiled brat or were you just born that way? Huh, Tycoon Princess?"

"Tycoon Princess? So, even Rihan-sama is calling me that now?" she asked and giggled.

Annoyed, Rihan closed on to her and grabbed her by the collar. "Are you spoiled bitch aware how it feels to be there, see your friends butchered and killed?! Do you?!"

"You two… please…" Mayuri started muttering but words barely left her mouth.

"Careful now…" she said with her usual unpleasant smile. "Else you may wake up Koko no Kira."

For a few moments, he looked at the face that had that trademark unpleasant expression of hers. Then he pushed her away and returned to the pillar.

"So… mind telling me what happened with you in Nakano City?" she didn't seem to have any intentions of staying silent. "Or more exactly, how could you possibly be related to it?"

He looked at her again. The smile on her face was still present.

He really wanted to tell her to go to hell and never speak to him again.

But for some reason, he decided to give her an answer anyway "During summer holidays when I was just eight years old, father and mother took me and nee-san on a trip around Kanto, including Tokyo. Then a youkai feud occurred in Nakano City and father wanted to help keep the situation from escalating too much. So we stayed there until it resolved… which ended up taking much more time then expected. Anyway, during the time I spent there, I made some friends with the local kids."

"Anyone special?" Araya asked.

"…Kuruguya Midori… Nakashi Minato and Kouri Hinata."

He closed his eyes.

"Kuruguya Midori was the first one I met and the one that pissed me off because she despised Youkai. Well, there was probably a reason for it but a brat I was, I didn't think of that. Anyway, I wanted to make her change her mind and with time, I started to think of her as a friend."

After eight years he barely remembered her face but some of her words stayed in his memory. Be they words of hate or not, they all left an impression for some reason.

"Nakashi Minato ended up becoming my best friend there, mainly due to both of us liking to play pranks. Even after I left, I stayed in contact with him until…"

He was actually the only one he stayed in contact with. Today, he wonders why he never bothered to chat with others as well. That might be one of his biggest regrets.

"Kouri Hinata was… well, my first crush."

"Huh?!" Mayuri was surprised to hear it.

"Ooh? So you ain't into Shima?" Araya joked.

"Shut up Araya." he replied. "Well, I shouldn't call it a crash or love. It was more like playing couples." he laughed a bit. Still though, he did promise to meet her again… a promise he fulfilled in an uglier way than they both expected.

"And they were killed in the incident I presume?" Araya asked in her unpleasant tone.

But for some reason he didn't feel angry about it anymore. Actually, he found the cold honesty a refreshing change to the usual sad kindness he tended to get from others.

But he didn't immediately answer her question. "Few days before the incident, Minato mentioned that he found out something bad was going on and I didn't hear from him since. What is more, a day before the incident, Midori ended up calling me…" he stopped for a moment, trying to remember some of the conversation.

"What… did she say?" Mayuri asked. This was her first time hearing details.

"Nothing. It was just small talk… but it gave me shivers and I persuaded some of my comrades in the Clan to leave for Nakano City next day."

He raised his head towards the sky. He needed to strengthen himself before he lets the memories flow back in.

"We arrived soon after the slaughter occurred. There…" his vision started to blur due to the trauma he got _that day_. Still, he was able to get a hold of himself. "…I found Minato's dead, massacred body."

"Oh my, thats…" he could hear Mayuri. "What about…"

"Thankfully, Hinata was alive… wounded, but alive." he looked towards the fountain. "However, she disappeared a day after. Well, nothing special there: many people left without wasting any time and not bothering to go through all that papirology… but still, I wish I could have confirmed her safety."

"What about Midori?" Araya asked.

"Hinata saw her still being alive after the worst has ended…" although the school was not touched anymore, the murders, sadly, didn't fully end until a few days later "but she disappeared as well. Her corpse was never found, although some claim they saw her in Nakano's streets days later. Me and my clan never found her though."

He looked towards the pillar.

"I don't know what Minato found out… I don't know where Hinata is… I don't know what happened to Midori… and we don't even know for sure who was responsible for the slaughter in the first place."

He found out his father suspected some group called _Shin Sekai_, but nobody knew for certain if they had a hand in this or were just some group that controlled the media. And seeing that this looked like a feud between two groups, there was at least one more group responsible for the slaughter.

"But there is someone who probably knows a lot…" Rihan commented.

"Oi oi…" Araya guessed about whom he was talking about. "You intend to ask Koko no Kira about what happened in Nakano?"

He didn't reply to her, but to the pillar. "Can you hear me, you youkai called Koko no Kira?"

"Rihan that is-"

"I know you can hear me!" Rihan ignored her. After all, this was not a decision he made just now. "If you can feel who enters the school grounds with violent intentions, then you definitely can hear me, can't you?"

"Being able to smell doesn't necessarily mean you are able to hear, Rihan." Araya commented.

"Like…Like I'll accept that. After three fruitless years of nothing… and then I realize… that this guy here might now… something…" he put his hand on the pillar.

Mayuri put her hands on her chest and even Araya's face took a worried expression.

"Come on Koko-san… we are on the same side, aren't we?" visions of the time he spent in Nakano appeared. "We both care about them… the victims…" Minato, Midori, and Hinata's faces appeared in front of him.

"We both want to make the bastards who hurt them pay, don't we?" again, he saw the images of those atrocities that the unknown culprits comitted. "DON'T WE?!" images of Minato and some other of his friends, dead and dismembered.

Image of Hinata begging for help and cursing those monstrous youkai. "THEN WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER ME?!" he punched the pillar with his hand.

"Rihan-san…" Mayuri wanted to say something to get him away, but she didn't know what she could say or do. Some people noticed the commotion and came to see what is going on.

"Or are you one of them maybe…" Fear started pouring from him "I don't care… just talk, damn you!" he punched the pillar again, so hard that it caused a loud noise and his hand started bleeding. But not even a crack was on it.

So he punched it again. "You answer to aggression, don't you?!" and again. "Then answer me! Capture me, come out… whatever you usually do! DO IT!"

And he kept on hitting it.

The fact that so many innocent students were brutally murdered enraged him.

The fact that his friend Minato was murdered like that enraged him.

The fact that he didn't keep asking Minato what has he found out enraged him.

The fact that Hinata had to suffer like that and has to spend the rest of her life with such memories enraged him.

The fact that he didn't know what happened to Midori enraged him.

The fact that he, who was barely able to make Midori believe that youkai do not deserve to be hated, is unable to apologize after her hatred was justified enraged him.

The fact that he was late to save anyone enraged him.

The fact that he was unable to make anyone pay for all this enraged him.

The fact that he, after three years, didn't even know who was responsible enraged him.

All together, the fact that he was absolutely useless in every way enraged him.

He got tired of hitting the pillar. His hand was bloody, but even with his youkai strength he was unable to make even a crack on the pillar.

But suddenly, his senses started blurring and his attention turned to the text on the pillar. He read what was written on it.

A moment later, his senses returned. He raised his head and saw… that sky turned red, trees and flowers have withered and, as if someone turned on a recorder, a creepy tune could be heard.

But he smiled. "Koko no Kira… finally I am…" but his smile disappeared as he looked at the windows of the school.

He saw living corpses of students, smiling at him and moving their hands towards him, like they are trying to reach him. Amongst them… he saw Minato, Hinata and other faces from his memories.

He wanted to scream, but no sound left his mouth.

Than he noticed that he was surrounded and looked around.

As he saw them, tears came out from his eyes. "No… this is… this is not what I wanted… ple-"

* * *

Suddenly, he felt like he woke up from a dream… by being thrown into cold water.

He jumped up and saw that he was back... and around him, he saw humans and worried members of his clan, including Kejorou and Kubinashi.

The fact that they were no longer dismembered living corpses like a moment ago almost made him cry for joy.

"What in the hell do you think you were doing, idiot?" Araya's voice condemned him.

He looked in front of him and saw her stand half a meter away. He knew now that it was her who made him fall into the water.

"Take another cold bath, you bird brain!" she grabbed him and pushed him back into the fountain's water.

"Ichinoe-san, please stop!" the hand let go of him and he jumped back up. He saw Kejorou holding Araya's hand with her hair.

"The hell is wrong with you? For revenge or some other shity reason… you want to cause a Ukiyoe incident or something?"

Like swords, those words stabbed him. The accusation was legit… though he realized it already inside Koko no Kira's Fear.

"What are you looking at?!" Shima Ryu shouted. "Please go away! Don't you see that incident from three years ago hurt him in some way? Show some damn consideration!"

First the adults and then the students did as he asked and started walking away, someone throwing an occasional glance at Rihan.

And then his sister came. Her uniform was dirty for some reason, but she had that stern look of the Nura clan's Underboss.

"Nee-san… I… I am…" against his will tears poured from his eyes.

"I heard it from Mayuri… Even after all these years is it?" she shighed and turned to Kejorou. "School may be open to everyone today, but the dorms are not. Take my brother there, find him a change of clothes, let him take a shower and give him something to eat." she then walked to him, took his arm and pulled him out of the water.

"Come on, I will help." Shima came and gave him a helping shoulder. "Damn it man, don't make us worry like that…"

"I'll… go see what food I can make for you." Mayuri said with a smile. "Better than eating something bought, right?"

He felt even more like a fool now… risking lives of such friends without consideration.

"_From being useless to being dangerous… why must I always fail to do anything right?"_

* * *

**Author Notes:**Chapter 1 got split into chapter 1 and 2.

Now, chapter 2 got split into chapter 2 and 3.

I truly hope this trend stops with chapter 3 and we can leave the introductions behind...

Anyway folks, hope you enjoyed this chapter. It had more gags, but also hints on what is to come.

We see problems that the two siblings have to deal with: Ritsura who wants to be recognized as the heiress already and prove she is fit for that role... which also means she will have to deal with certain incoming challenges I think...

And than we have the younger Rihan who we see... well, had bad stuff happen in the past to say it lightly and the issues he has to deal are all connected to that Nakano City Incident, both personal and against the culprits (sometimes I wonder if he would have more luck if his name was different... that name is like a magnet for tragic events it seems).

More details on what happened in both of his visits to Nakano will of course come later, but for now the basics and seeing how much of an effect it had on him should suffice... I hope.

Anyway, again hope you enjoyed reading it. Thanks to my Alpha-Reader **Citsimsan** and his patience with me as well as to my Beta-reader **Suki90** and her mighty grammar mistake destroying powa.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Rihan was taking a shower in one of the unoccupied rooms at the dorm of the Ukiyoe High.

Kejorou told him to take a pleasant, warm shower to calm himself down. However, due to regrets of that outburst in front of _Koko no Kira's Pillar_, he felt a need to reprimand himself. Since he has a high resistance to cold due to his mother's blood and thus couldn't use cold shower like normal human beings, he took a very hot one. It was painful, but he'd have it no other way right now.

He wondered what was wrong. While the nightmares of those sights continued to haunt him, he thought his trauma passed and that he would be able to continue onward with a cool head. Yet, it took so little for him to lose his composure.

He wondered why exactly it was like that. At first, he thought it was because he lost dear friends… but when he thought better about it, he knew them only for a short time and even his memories of his time with them were cloudy. Actually, he only remembered Minato's face due to chatting with him over the Internet in the years that followed.

Hinata and Midori however… he only knew how Hinata looked like because he saw her again three years ago. On other hand, Midori's face changed whenever he tried to remember her. Thats how cloudy his memories were about them.

So… is it really the fact that he lost his friends that is bothering him? No… he feared it might be more selfish than that… it might be simply the fact that he failed to be a hero and save them.

Since he was a kid, he was told stories of his ancestors… how his great grandfather Nurarihyon formed the Nura Clan, recruited great many powerful youkai and how he defeated the mighty Hagoromo Gitsune… how his grandfather, his namesake Nura Rihan, strengthened the clan and defeated the _Maou_ Sanmoto Gorozaemon and many other great villains, until he was finally murdered in a dirtiest possible way… and how his father, Nura Rikuo, saved the clan from falling apart, defeated even stronger Hagoromo Gitsune and Sanmoto Gorozaemon and how he brought together the youkai from all around Japan in order to fight the Nue, Abe no Seimei, thus earning the title of strongest youkai in history.

Thus, Rihan wanted to live up to reputation of his ancestors. Although his sister is the heiress of the clan, it didn't mean that he was supposed to sit and do nothing. And so he dreamed…

And eight years ago he got his first chance for glory: father failed to save the situation in Nakano from escalating and a war between two minor youkai groups exploded. Rihan sneaked out and tried to prove himself… only to get himself almost killed, as well as some of his comrades. Looking back, he knew he was a big fool back then and even his sister didn't make the mistake of joining a battle where she would be of no help at best. That was the first time he felt helpless and foolish.

But the Nakano City was not yet done with him: three years ago, another youkai incident occurred.

Not even in his worst dreams could he have expected to see the gruesome sights he saw at that school. It was on that day that he realized that villains were not some cartoon characters making evil laughs and waiting for heroes to teach them a lesson in humility. No, true villains were a much more terrifying existence.

And somehow, his hate and fear might have turned his dream into obsession… and he was not sure why. Love for friends, or just obsession that made him think he fights for something honorable… whatever it was, it tortured him.

_Time to return to those guys before they get worried…_ he turned off the shower. While brushing his hair with a towel, he opened the door to the room whre his change of clothes were.

_Oh yes… I have to make up some good apology for what I did… _with closed eyes, he leaned against the door's frame and started thinking about what he will say when he meets them.

Then he opened his eyes and saw a red-haired girl kneeling on the bed and taking pictures with her cell's camera pointed at him.

"What a great pose!" Araya proclaimed "Your fangirls will LOVE this."

For a moment, the nude Rihan was paralyzed and unable to react to this girl's bizarre behavior but, after a few moments, he did what every normal person would do.

"GIVE ME THAT!" he shouted and jumped onto her. Laying on the bed, she still had her cell pointed at him and was taking photos. He finally took it from her hands and deleted the dangerous photos from her cellphone. "Don't... do that ever again!" he told her and threw the cell back to her.

For a moment, she stayed silent… and then pointed it back at him and started to take more photos.

He hastily took it from her hands again and, having finally realized that he is naked in front of a girl, he jumped back into the bathroom where he deleted more dangerous evidence.

"The hell is wrong with you!" he yelled at her.

"Well, well… who would say that the school's leading womanizer would be this shy." She put her tongue out and threw him his change of clothes into the bathroom. "There. Due to being partially responsible for what happened out there, I won't make more fun of you right now."

"Guess I need to be thankful." He said with a gloomy voice and started changing, away from her eyes. "Anyway, that was not your fault…"

"Tell that to your sister." She answered. "She threatened to turn me into an ice statue if I don't bow and beg for your forgiveness."

"And you are doing a mighty fine job…" he replied sarcastically.

"If you want, I can start apologizing and make the atmosphere moodier if you want, oh my great Rihan-sama."

"No… as I said, it is not your fault to begin with." He said and came out in changed clothes.

He then noticed that she was looking over him with a huge smile on her face.

"Please…" he resisted the urge to hide in the bathroom again. "…forget what you just saw…"

"Ho ho ho… I wouldn't do it even if I could." She laughed.

"Oh my…" he wanted to flee from the room as soon as possible. However, there was still something he needed to talk about with her "You were the one who pushed me into the fountain when I… went berserk, didn't you?"

She gave him a simple nod.

"I should thank you then…" he threw the now harmless cellphone back to her. "Else I might have been dead… I got caught by Koko no Kira you know."

"Ohh? Mind telling me how it was in there?" Ichinoe Araya, the president of the Supernatural Investigation Club, asked in enthusiastic voice.

Rihan gave her a cold look. "No."

"Oh, that cold look again…" she jumped from the bed. "I take it then that I should be apologizing. Nobody blamed me for making you go crazy, just for hurting your feelings."

"You…" the gratitude he felt due to her knocking sense back into his head out there started to fade from his mind. "Why the heck are you such a…" he sat on the bed and looked at her. "Is there a reason you are such an insensitive…" he didn't want to insult a person he is used to call a friend, but her behavior makes it harder with every passing moment.

"There is a reason to everything." She said with that ugly unpleasantness of hers. "But then, I don't think most people would be like that so… it is simply because I am who I am."

_What a stupid answer… _"Tell me… can you even imagine how it is to lose someone you hold dear?"

She starred at him for a few moments. Something in the way she starred at him, with her unchanging face, made him feel shivers.

Then she walked up to him and, with her usual expression, asked. "And what do you, who have _lost_ some people you likely don't even remember, know how it is to lose someone you hold dear?" she said in a bitter tone. "To see them getting killed in front of your eyes?"

Her expression didn't change, but her tone was bitter. Bitter enough to make his skin crawl.

The words themselves, of course, were even more shocking.

She continued by asking another question and, as if reading his mind, asked "Tell me… have you not noticed something off when we graduated from the middle school?" Her creepy smile never disappeared, no matter what were left her mouth.

His eyes widened as he remembered something he once realized: her parents were not present when they graduated from the middle school… as well as how he found it weird that she always used as much money as she wanted and never asked her parents for anything, even when she went to stay away from home. It is impossible that any parent, especially the rich ones, were so disinterested in what goes on with their child.

"Your parents…" he then remembered that he insulted them out there. "I… out there I… I am so-"

"You didn't know so I don't need any apologies." She cut him off. "And even if you did, apologies would be of no use to me."

No need for apologies and being able to talk about it with such a smile. This made the girl in front of him even more terrifying. Even survivors of Nakano he knew were not this cold about what happened to them.

"Still, I… how did they…" he was not sure why he asked this, but he had a bad feeling.

"Youkai." She said with her usual smile.

Having to see her parents get killed in front of her by monsters… monsters that are youkai, just like him. He, who was shaken by dead strangers, feared to imagine how it must have been for her.

And there was another question he had. "Wait… then why…"

She cut him off. "I don't intend to say anything more… well, besides the fact that I lost more than just them." She said with a tone that left no room for objections.

He didn't know what else to say so he just looked at the floor. He wanted to ask more, but her tone made him hesitant to ask anything more. What is more, he still had to diggest what has learned.

He just now realized that he didn't know anything about this girl, besides that she moved to Ukiyoe from Matsuyama in Shikoku. Yet he took it for granted that he suffered more than her, who has gone through something so much worse… no, he just now realized that, compared to most, he had it easy. Yet they… kept better control over themselves than he did…

But she was not yet done with breaking what was left of his will. She closed her face to his and asked "By the way, this is just an observation but… are you sure it is those friends of yours that make you thick like that?"

_No… please stop…_ He was not sure why, but he wanted her to stop, as if he was afraid of what she might say.

"I wonder if you even remember their faces after all these years?"

He felt like he was a book that was being read.

"I'll apologize if I am wrong, but could it be that you are just using them as an excuse?"

He didn't know how exactly she came to that conclusion… but it didn't matter. He thought of the same thing a while ago and hearing it from someone else felt like a confirmation of his doubts.

"Y… you might be right." He was surprisingly calm. Was it because he had to confront his doubts or because he was shocked by something else, he was not sure. "Maybe I am just… using them… but other times, I feel like I do care… I don't know myself anymore…" he looked towards her. "Hey, seeing how you are dealing well with your problems… what do you think I should do?"

In contrast to what happened to her, this girl was always cheerful and until now Rihan would never have guessed she had such a dark past.

"You and I are different people." She replied without much thinking. "Our problems are different and our cures are different. You have to find your own answer."

"Very helpful of you." He looked back at the floor. "But you are right I guess…"

"There is one thing I can say for sure though." She put a finger below his chin and raised his head up. "Breaking your head about it won't bring you anything but pain. So just do what your guts tell you and leave the thinking behind."

"What… my guts tell me?"

"Yep. You said you want to find answers to what happened, did you not?"

"Yes, I did… but I don't know for what-"

She cut him off. "As I said, don't think about it, just do it and you will likely find your answers." Her smile may have remained the same, but her words became warmer, reminding him once again that, no matter how she may act sometimes, she was still a friend.

"I already did. It was fruitless."

"Then try more." She shrugged. "You definitely did not use all of your options." She crossed her arms and closed an eye. "Have you asked your _Tycoon Princess_ for help?"

He found her offer naive. "You really think YOU could be of help?" immediately after he said that, he felt ashamed that he replied like that to her offer.

But as usual, she didn't seem to be bothered. "You'd be surprised what me and my money can do. Besides… I have experience with youkai you know."

_Ah yes… it is hard to imagine her not doing anything about the youkai who hurt her._ "It would be risky."

"That is if the scary enemies notice me." She then put a finger on his forehead. "Also I trust that you will protect me if it comes to the worst." She pulled her hand back. "So, will you ask for my assistance or not?"

He sighed and opened his mouth to reject her. It is only natural that he can't allow her to get mixed into something that may hurt her. "Would you please help me find out what happened in Nakano three years ago?" But he accepted it instead. He was not sue why.

She nodded and smiled. "Good, and in return you tell your sister I was a good girl and have properly apologized."

"Speaking about her, we should leave or else they'll start to worry." He said. He anted to leave these depressing talks behind for now.

For some reason, in contrast to what he found out, he felt better. Guess it is true that talking with others will give you a peace of mind.

However, he still didn't know anything about her situation. _Well, I'll find out somehow. It is not fair to accept help of others without helping them in some way. _He thought about it while they walked to the cafeteria.

During their walks, Araya was typing something on her cell. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about it.

Rihan opened the doors of cafeteria and saw Mayuri, Shima and Ritsura inside. Nobody else was present in it, neither students nor Clan members. Well, not surprising considering it is neither breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Ritsura threw a cold gaze in their directions and Rihan guessed what she wanted to hear. He sighed and said. "Araya was a good girl and properly apologized."

"…properly eh?" Mayuri sighed. She tried to not even look in their direction.

"Heh heh… good girl… like a true mafioso…" Shima laughed. He looked like a girl listening to some entertaining gossips.

"Huh?" Rihan was confused at their reactions. He then heard Araya giggling behind him and a bad feeling took him over.

"You may want to ask her to apologize for letting the entire school know about the _apologizing_ the two of you had." Ritsura said and threw him her cell. He was scared, but he looked anyway…

The picture of him, naked, opening the doors… with a photoshoped seductive smile.

The picture of him, naked, leaning on the bathroom door's frame… with a seductive smile.

The picture of him, naked, leaning over the camera's holder… smiling, blushing and sweating.

_Ah yes… simply deleting files ain't always enough…_

He sighed. "…I did not have…" he started his attempts of proving his innocence. "…with that woman!"

And he once again reminded on just how crazy this girl can be.

* * *

Due to being the one who prepared lunch, Onieda Mayuri was the last one to start eating.

However, she was the first one to finish her meal, made of some rice and sauce. The reason was probably because she is the only one who spent her time in cafeteria in complete silence while the rest argued.

"Alright guys, let me start from beginning!" Ichinoe Araya, the center of this current commotion, started explaining herself again. "In order for our dear Riha-chan to not have to spend the rest of his high school life as the school's resident madman, I had only around thirty minutes to come with something as big."

"The rumors would have died down Ichinoe-san!" Shima Ryu continued complaining. "Nura-kun is popular and liked, he-"

"Both of those just make it worse." Araya answered in calm tone. "I get you are a trusting fellow Shima-kun, but people are what they are in this day and age: the popular and beloved Nura-kun having serious mental issues is simply such a sweet story they won't even think about being considerate."

If only to get all this over with, Mayuri decided to support her. "Also, it is not worth the risk. Anything is better the treatment he could get after such an outburst." She looked towards Rihan who ate with surprising calmness. Even she, who were beside him when he started hitting the monument, couldn't believe this calm person would ever do something like that.

"Thank you Onieda-san." Araya sent her a smile. "Anyway, from those thirty minutes I had to spend only ten minutes coming up with something and the rest to put it in motion. Making false accounts, incriminating evidence, make meaningful posts on various Internet sites… that takes a lot of time and effort." She said, as if she was the one doing all that. Mayuri always wondered who did it all, but then… when you have money, you can get anyone to do anything.

"Then tell me Araya-san, what will be result of your little rumor." Ritsura asked. She was even less entertained than Shima about Araya's prank, especially since she sent Araya to apologize to her little brother and she came back with an embarrassment.

"Nura-kun spent some quality time with his mysterious girlfriend, she took photos, a jealous girl got them and made someone, who looks like Rihan, to act stupid in order to get her revenge." She looked towards the subject of this discussion. "And since his Fear started coming out, he started turning into his less human form so his face changed a bit as did his height. That is enough to make the whole outburst doubtful."

"You could just use that then." Ritsura noted. "No need to make up this whole story."

"I could, but it likely would not be enough. As I said, danger is not in truth but in the fact that it sounds delicious to our schoolmates." She drank some water, though her bowl of rice was still full. "So I gave them a soap opera. Gossipers LOVE soap operas."

"Besides, it is just a little embarrassment." Rihan, who just finished his meal, seems to have decided to stand in the culprit's defense. "While I don't think it would be that serious, it would result in something annoying nevertheless. If nothing else, I sure can't reject a helping hand when it is offered." He smiled at Araya, which made Mayuri feel a little envious. "Also, it at least may keep those crowds away."

"If you say so little brother." Ritsura sighed and took the chopsticks in her hand and started properly eating. "Don't whine if this ends up backfiring."

Mayuri was annoyed both by him smiling at another girl and by the fact that she herself was one of the crowd he mentioned, even if Rihan doesn't realize it. "Nura-kun, you sure are quick to defend her although she was mean to you both now and back then… not to mention you have calmed down quite a bit." she started with a naughty smile. "So, are the images really fake or did you two…"

"Yes, they are fake!" he quickly answered, more annoyed than embarrassed. "Come on Mayuri-chan, not you too..."

"Sorry, sorry." She apologized.

"Still, your mood did improve." Ritsura noted. "Just what happened back there?"

"Well, you see…" he looked towards Araya for a moment and then he said "It is not that my mood improved. I simply realized that there are many who suffered worst than I had so it is childish that I react like that. Of course, I will find the ones responsible even in it takes-"

"WE will, little brother. Don't act like you are alone." Ritsura cut him off. "But enough about that and you pretending to be over it. Hitotsume became a headmaster and this is his day."

"Indeed." Mayuri commented. "I am getting tired of this myself, yet alone Nura-kun so lets leave this unpleasant event behind for today."

"Good idea." Rihan said, obviously the most pleased of the bunch.

"Oh, and before I forget… nii-san sent me a message saying to meet at the clubroom after the ceremony ends." Mayuri announced.

The five of them of them were part of the Supernatural Investigation Club, formed during middle School by Ritsura and Shima whose parents were part of a similar club in their school days. Rihan and Mayuri were forced to join it and, due to being a big youkai fan, Araya joined in as well when she moved to Ukiyoe. Mayuri's brother, Onieda Mamoru, was a teacher at both the middle and high school and the club's willing supervisor.

"Interestingly, he also says to not make any plans for today and the following days." She added.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Rihan, who wanted a simple school life, commented.

"I have a good feeling about this…" Araya, who wanted a not simple school life, commented.

"Anyway guys, let me take care of the dishes." Mayuri proclaimed and started collecting the dishes. "We can't let the cafeteria ladies clean the mess we made."

"True. Let me help as well." Rihan offered his help. "It is my fault we ate here after all…"

Mayuri's heart jumped up a little. "Well, thank you."

"Well, I am going to see with Hitotsume if everything is alright after…" Ritsura stopped for a moment. "…that biker incident."

"As will I." Shima joined her. "Well, lets meet again at the clubroom, 'kay?"

"Well then…" Araya started making her own plan. "I'll continue supervising this whole situation. Also, I'll look into recruiting someone into our merry club. It is becoming dull with only us here."

"Huh? You can't be-" Shima started but Ritsura cut him off. "Please take care it is a boy then. I don't want this to turn into a harem for these two perverts."

"Yeah, I'd like that as well." Mayuri joined the joke. She was certain Araya won't find anyone either way.

Once the other three left, Mayuri was alone with Rihan who decided to help her take care of the dishes and clean the tables. Being another one of the girls that had a crush on him, she was embarrassed to be alone with him, though pleased at the same time.

On other hand, Rihan didn't look like he felt uncomfortable or happy. He was simply his just usual self. In a way, that bothered her, as did the silence.

_If Araya-san can find a way to talk with him, so can I!_ "So Nura-kun…" on other hand she was not sure what to ask and failed to finish the sentence.

However, it did not look like he heard her as he seemed to be deep in thoughts. Mayuri also noticed that he washed the same plate for some time now.

That annoyed her. "Rihan-kun!" she raised her voice.

"Ah…" seems he woke up. "Sorry, I… did you say something?"

"I wanted to ask if you are alright. I know you said you were, but… you were quite angry out there and I am still worried."

"Ah, I am better now." He said, though his face had a sad expression. "I had a talk with Ichinoe-san and I realized that I overreacted." His eyes narrowed. "Everyone in that school went through worse, and many other in the world have it worse yet I acted like I am some great victim."

She had to say something, especially if she doesn't want to lose to Araya, a girl who doesn't even bother trying. "Not everyone is the same, Nura-kun. Some people deal with their issues better than others." She said. "You should not be ashamed for how you felt."

"You might be right… but it has been three years now and I just did something dangerous." He did not give in. "I should get over it… though I admit, it may not be that easy."

"If you say so…." She said, although she felt like she lost. Since the conversation threatened to end, she asked "So, what did you and Ichinoe-san talk about?" She was more curious about question than she'd ever like to admit.

"Not much… by the way, have you ever seen Araya's parents? Or heard her talk to or about them?"

"No… I don't think I ever did. Did something happen with them?" She was not pleased to have that girl brought into discussion, but the question interested her.

"Seems so, though I don't know the details. However, I can kinda understand now why she acted like she did: my situation must have looked like a joke to her."

"So… they are dead?" she asked and Rihan nodded. She wondered if it was truth or Araya being Araya, but she did not say her thoughts "I had no idea… I always thought she just didn't get along with them… like I don't get along with my father."

"Thinking about it… I never saw your parents either."

_How did we come to this?_ "There is not much to see." She started feeling frustrated, like every time any of her family besides Mamoru is brought up. "They divorced and I got misfortune to end up with my father. I see the old man once or twice per month and those days tend to be mine and nii-san's least favorite."

Rihan must have noticed her frustration so he didn't push his nose deeper into it. _I am so stupid… I got to talk with him and then I force him to go silent._

They were almost done cleaning the cafeteria. Due to a strong wish to start a conversation, she asked "So… about what those girls from before asked… you have someone you are interested in?"

He looked at her with a sad expression. "I am sorry Mayuri… the answer is the same as before."

_So you realized it…_ She didn't want to give up though. "Why don't you ask one out then? You never know, you may start to like her." She pretended to not have understood what he meant with his apology.

"Actually, I did date two girls… three if you count Hinata-san I guess." He was finished washing the dishes. "With those two, it only ended in me breaking up with them… which was not nice, not to mention that I lost precious friends due to it." Probably due to not having any other chores to take care of, he leaned against the wall.

"Is that so…" more than two girls came to her mind though. "I'll clean the floor a bit. I feel a bit sorry for using the cafeteria's food." In reality, she just wanted to stay like this a bit longer.

He wasn't finished "I think the problem itself was that I didn't feel anything for them, just gave them a chance… and neither did the girls. I feel like I am just a guy many feel attracted to for some reason but don't actually like. Guess it is part of my Fear to charm others."

_Typical for Rihan-kun_… many guys would not mind that detail, at least not at start. However, he always made it complicated. But then, he was a kinder soul, which is probably why the Nakano Incident had such an effect on him in the first place.

However, she didn't really like his explanation and Mayuri felt a need to mention something that would make her seem different from those other girls. But she failed to come up with anything, even after few minutes passed.

"Anyway, I'll be going then. The clan may get worried if I don't appear before the ceremony starts." He said and prepared to leave.

"I won't give up you know." She said what was on her mind.

"Well, good luck then." He said with a soft smile and left.

After he left, she hit herself on the head for saying something stupid.

In the end, part of her rejected to be classified as someone who is simply charmed by his Fear while another part feared he might be right. The fact that she can doubt her own feelings made the doubtful part a bit stronger.

_Now that I think about it, this might be the second time he rejected me._ _Well, not that it really matters._ After all, with such a big competition you get used to being pessimistic about your chances.

* * *

Rihan wondered if he was too cold towards Mayuri, however he knew it was better to make it clear as soon as possible. If his experiences taught him one lesson, then it is that this is one of those issues where delaying is not a right thing to do. He loved Mayuri as a friend but thats it and he'd prefer to make it clear before rather then later.

However, today's romantic issues did not stay in his thoughts for long.

"Ah, there you are!" he heard Shima's voice once he left the dorm. "So, you two done making out?" he asked in his usual humoring tone.

"Me and Onieda-san weren't making out." Rihan sighed. "Just how many times today was I accused of having an affair with someone?" he complained and started walking back towards the school grounds.

"Alright, alright… so are those photos really fake or-"

"If you don't shut up now, next time the girls start showering me with questions I'll give them a touching story of you passionately confessing your love to me." Rihan gettin' really tired of their jokes.

"I'll shut up now."

"Anyway, didn't you leave with nee-san?" he asked him. "Where is she?"

"Your sister…" Shima scratched his head. "Some guys from another school saw her and asked her out and… yes, she went with them."

"Oh heavens… are they alright?" unlike him, his sister had a _colder_ approach to dealing with crushes…

* * *

_At Ukiyoe High, there is a beautiful girl of cold skin and chilling breath. Some say she is from a family of youkai… others say she is a girl whose cold heart turned her into a Yuki Onna… while some believe that she is a normal girl but cursed by a Yuki Onna to never have true love._

_Either way, anyone asking her out starts suffering from frostbite which gets worse and worse with every passing minute. No man has yet been able to break through that cold curse of hers… though many continue trying to conquer her heart._

_~Legends of Ukiyoe High_

* * *

And his sister found it all entertaining, especially if the ones flirting were douchebags.

"I have no idea man… hopefully someone warned them before your sister got her way with poor fellows." Shima said with concern. "But then, I am not sure they'll take the warning seriously."

"Ah well… lets hope for the best." Of course, nothing bad will actually happen to them, but one still has to feel sorry. "Hmm? The ceremony should start soon, but the school's courtyard is still filled with people?"

"Come on Nura-kun, it is not like everyone will attend it." Shima shaked his head. "Most just came for free drinks, cakes and to meet girls."

"Thats true I guess…" he noticed some people throwing glances at him. It reminded him about what he did not long ago and what might they be thinking about because of that.

"You alright man?" Shima asked him with a worried tone.

"Yes, it is fine now…" he replied. He is sure more people will ask him that before the day is over.

"I am always there to talk to you about it man." He pated him on the shoulder. "And don't worry about them… Ichinoe-san is a bit crazy, but I am sure she will take care it ends for the best." He then took out his cell. "Well, I'll check the boards just in case."

"I am more worried that this devil may ask for my soul in return." He joked.

His smile however disappeared once he noticed _Koko no Kira's Pillar_. He felt ashamed of the fact that, again, he felt a need to question it.

As to not let his desire get a better of him again, he turned his gaze away from it.

"That devil might be the one that we should worry about…" Shima commented. "Guess who most consider to be the _envious girl_ from her story?"

"You don't mean…" he took out his own cell in order to visit one of the school's forums.

"Oh yeah… our dear Ichinoe–san seems to have fallen into her own hole."

He was right. The students have started thinking that her disinterest is actually just her being grumpy about being rejected or something… and that she would be the only one capable to stage such a believable ploy as Rihan making a fuss in front of _Koko no Kira_.

"It might be a good idea to warn her about it." Rihan called her but she rejected his first call. The second one as well.

She answered the third though. "What is it?! I am rejecting the calls for a reason you know."

"Have you seen the rumors?"

"I checked them. What about it?" she asked.

"Umm…" he was not sure if she is serious just or didn't check the right places. "You ended up being the villain girl you know."

"And you got worried I'd be bullied or something? How cute of you." She answered in a teasing tone. "Don't worry, it won't bother me much. Granted, it was not part of my original plan but it doesn't matter in the end."

"Still I-"

"Now if you'd excuse me, I am still looking for recruits. Bye!" she ended the call.

"You know man…" Shima started the moment Rihan and Araya stopped talking. "…now that I think about it, she is the one person we don't need to worry about."

"What is there not to worry about?" he partially agreed with him but felt a need to joke about it. "You do realize she will come with a bill for all this! I may end up a slave for rest of my life!" Still though, he felt ashamed that she has to go to such lengths just to fix something he is responsible for.

"RIHAAAAAN!" a female voice came from above.

He was able to raise his head for long enough to see Hebinyoro, the clan's flying snake, before his mother jumped right in front of him.

"Are you alright darling?" she caught his head with her hands. "I heard about what happened and…" Luckily, doesn't seem like anyone noticed anything but a woman suddenly appearing in the courtyard.

_Sigh… It will take some time to calm her down…_

* * *

"You look pleased Yasha-chan." Sakura commented. They were inside the school, tasting some cake. Yashagoro was not sure if it is normal to have a headmaster's appointment so luxuriously celebrated but he doesn't intend to complain.

"Well, what can I say… I simply enjoy my time here with you." He smiled at her and she blushed.

In reality, he simply found Nura Rihan's outburst to be an entertaining sight. While Nura Rihan never did anything to him personally, the clan that Yashagoro is part of considers itself a rival to the Edo Nura Clan. And seeing a rival in trouble is always a good sight.

Granted, since his task was elimination of the younger Nura's there was no reason to feel compassion in the first place. Such emotions would just get in the way.

_Which reminds me that I should find a way to leave this girl behind and…_

"Oh no… why is she here…" Sakura complained about something. "Come, lets go!"

Yashagoro tried to see whom she meant but Sakura started shaking his hand, likely to get his attention "If you turn around, I'll scream and make you look like a pervert."

"Ah… alright…" he listened to orders of Kibiki Sakura's dark side.

* * *

They were walking, at fast pace, around the campus for good fifteen minutes, but it seems that their _evil pursuer_ was still behind them. Resisting the temptation to turn around and look at who is following them became harder as time went on.

However, he was sure it was Sakura being Sakura so it was nobody of importance. On other hand, that person was _really_ enthusiastic about following them.

"Say Kibiki-san…" he started to feel bored by all this.

"No turning around!" she didn't even give him a chance to talk. "We have to keep walking."

"It has been fifteen minutes Kibiki-san." He complained. "Would you at least allow me to take the lead and get us away from… well whoever is behind us."

"No… I got this…" she didn't want to give up and continued walking while holding his hand.

He sighed, stopped and pulled her towards himself. "Could it be that you… don't trust me Sakura-san?"

"Wha… It is not like I don't trust you… I just-"

"Great, than I take the lead." Not wanting to let her take a better of him, he started pulling her hand and walked with a quick pace, their roles now reversed.

"Alright… but don't look behind okay?"

* * *

In the end, Yashagoro did what Sakura didn't even think about: they left the campus.

For a good measure, they also sneaked into a nearby hotel through its back-entrance and they climbed to the top. There was no reason for going this far, other than Yashagoro finding it a fun exercise.

"Well, we should be safe here." He said with a smile.

"I think you went a bit too far Yasha-san…" she replied. All the walking and climbing made her feel exhausted. "Are you a thief or something Yasha-san… this is far too… oh…" she noticed that they were holding hands and alone. "Waaah… well, not that I can complain." She wasn't hasty about letting his hand go.

"Anyway Sakura-san…" he pulled his hand away and turned to look towards the school from this height. "Whom were we running from anyway?"

"Ahhh…" she seems to be thinking about what to say. "Nobody important. Forget about it."

"Nobody important… you kidding?" he sighed.

"Really, it is just-"

"Kibiki Azuru." A female voice behind them said. "This little airhead's nee-san."

_You have to be kidding me…_ This person must be as eccentric as Sakura to follow them up to here. On other hand, judging by her introduction, they must be sisters so so that should likely not come as a surprise.

"Faaaaailed escape…" Sakura whined. "…again." And she sighed.

Yashagoro turned around to look at whoever this eccentric person was.

_Woah!_ Was the only thing that came to his mind.

Kibiki Sakura, with her short black hair, blue eyes and her facial features was one of prettiest girls Yashagoro saw, both amongst youkai and humans. Thats probably the reason he didn't mind hanging around with her.

Her sister Azuru, however, was the most beautiful thing he'd have seen. She had long azure hair and eyes as well as a pretty face that knew what kind of expression it needs to make to make itself even more beautiful. Even her clothing, from earrings to her dress and gloves, helped make her even a prettier sight.

"Again…" Sakura said with a sad, low voice. It does not take much to realize that she is very jealous of her sister… and judging by how much she followed them, her sister was likely not a considerate person.

"You said something little sister?" she asked with a mean, yet still heart-piercing, expression.

"No." Sakura gave a simple reply. She did not turn to look at her older sister.

Azuru looked towards Yashagoro. His heart started jumping around when their eyes met. "You her another attempt at romance I presume?" she asked with an even meaner smile.

As beautiful as she may be however, her tone did not sit well with him. "And… uhmm…" he looked down to get away from her mesmerizing eyes. "I don't see how-"

She put a hand under his chin and raised his face back up. He just realized that even her scent was attractive. "Do show manners and look the lady into her eyes while you speak…" she closed her face to his to the point he could feel her breathing which made him blush. "…okay?" she gave him a killing wink.

"I have gotta go." Sakura said and quickly ran away, leaving the two of them alone.

She left before Yashagoro could even say a word. The glance at Sakura's pained face irked him, and he hated himself for being this mesmerized by her sister to whom he was unable to utter even a single word of rejection.

"Hmmm…" Azuru looked him over with her eyes. "Her tastes must be getting worse with time. Guess she became desperate." She pulled herself back. "Well, whatever."

"You… are a…" he tried to utter an insult but her eyes mesmerized him again. Once again, he hated himself for it.

But he had to resist it and leave this shameful state. And just then did he realize…

He quickly jumped back, leaving a distance of good twenty meters between the two of them. He also took out two wazikashi he had hidden inside his jacket.

Azuru did not even seem surprised at his sudden reaction. She just crossed her arms and smiled.

However, now that he knew that, unlike her sister Sakura, this girl was not human he was able to resist her seductive Fear. He felt stupid for letting himself get ensnared in it in the first place.

"Hooo…" she seemed entertained. "Even for a youkai, you are quiet a resilient boy."

He did not reply. He continued looking at her, not wanting to risk underestimating this youkai girl. He wasn't sure if she was a member of Nura clan or not. Nor could he guess what kind of youkai she was. However, something told him he should be cautious with this person.

"Come on now, I came to talk…" Fear started pouring out of her and her human clothes were replaced by a more unusual, armored dress, which looked like it was made for a delicate, female samurai.

Alongside her clothes, she was holding a fan and a spear, with a katana on her hip. The spear then turned into a hair ornament while her fan turned into a pink flower. She put both on her hair as a decoration.

The fact that she put away her weaponry and kept an air of confidence bothered him. Any enemy with a confident, disinterested face bothered him. It was a sign that the enemy, for whichever reason, thought he would not be a threat. Even if she underestimates him, her confidence must have come with a reason.

She put her hands behind her and then returned them in front of her before he could use the situation and react. Between her fingers, she was holding four shurikens.

He already prepared a strategy: once she threw them, he would deflect them and attack her. Even if they are more than simpel weaponry, the strategy should work to some extent.

And she threw them… into the air above her.

_What?_ He was surprised for a moment and got even more surprised when he saw electricity form around them. Then, before he could move a muscle, they flew in his direction and started circling around him, generating lightning.

He wanted to scream, but he could not afford it. Instead, he gave his best to utter certain words and create a protection to save himself from lightning. It would last only for a few moments, but that is more then enough to jump at the youkai in front of him.

He fled from her trap and jumped at her, with his wazikashi prepared to slice her throat. _I am sorry Sakura-san…_

Suddenly, she moved her left hand and he saw a ring on it. Blinding light hit his eyes and he was no longer able to see properly what was in front of him.

_Damn, how many tricks does she have?_ He didn't let hisbody react to it however. He knew where she was and his sense of hearing was still alright. He would finish her like originally planned.

Then he felt heat on his skin and he felt his wazikashi get blocked by whut must be her katana, which also seems to be the source of the heat. However, the heat was too strong to endure and his wazikashi fell on the ground.

"Time to cool your head boy." She grabbed him with her right hand and suddenly his entire body froze to the point he was barely able to move his muscles.

"Just… who the heck are you?" he managed to utter few words. He saw many youkai in his life, but few had such a varying Fear like this woman.

"Kibiki Azuru, the right hand to members of the founding family of the _Shin Sekai_." She answered with a smug smile. "And proud to say, one of their best creations."

"And what a pretty hand she is…" he could hear a male voice. He turned his eyes to its source and saw that a human man in his twenties joined them on the roof. "Wouldn't you agree?" he asked with a soft smile, as if he were giving candies to children.

"Who…" it was cold and he was barely able to utter a word. He was not sure what, but something was off with this human.

"Ah sorry, I forgot to introduce myself." He hit his forehead with his hand, like this was not a life-threatening situation for someone. "You can call me Mahiro. Or the _Fourth_, thats how they call me in _Shin Sekai_." He knelled in front of Yashagoro. "I'd like to discuss a business proposal, Yashagoro-san… of the Kyushu Youkai Clan, am I right?"

* * *

"You alright Sakura-san?" Sakura's friend, Fukusuwa Hiromi, asked her. "You have been down ever since you came back."

"Ah it is alright." She replied with a smile "Don't mind me."

After Azuru stole another friend from her, Sakura returned to the school. She came at the last moment as the ceremony was about to begin and now tried he best to not think about what happened. Such thoughts often hurt her more than anything that bully of her sister does.

_Azuru... why do you… always…_

Hirumi brought her back to reality again. "I don't believe you."

"Please don't worry about me, it will be fine." She smiled. "Oh look, the ceremony is starting."

Suddenly, the lights in the gym, where the ceremony is being held, turned off and window shutters closed.

As to add to the weirdness, instrumental music started playing and smoke started coming out.

_Did some music band make a mistake and came here instead of our new Headmaster?_ Sakura was shocked by this. _Or is a metal band our new Headmaster? Wait, that doesn't even make any sense._

"All hail Hitotsume Nyudo, the new Headmaster of Ukiyoe Town's great High School!" voice of the school's nurse spoke through the speakers. "Kubinashi, this makes me feel stupid." She said in a lower tone, probably not realizing she could still be heard. "why did we let Ojou-sama decide what we will do here in the first place?"

And the new headmaster walked in. He was kinda fat and… _What in the million hells?_

"Fat, just like I imagined." Himuri commented. _You comment on his fat?_

"Fancy beard." Someone right of Sakura said. _You comment on his beard?_

"That suit is so old stuff." Some girl said. _You comment on his clothes?_

"He looks kinda stupid." A voice from behind said. _Come on now, someone?_

"Greetings you little humans!" the new headmaster proclaimed. "I am Hitotsume Nyudo! Your new master and… wait a second." He put his right hand into his pocket, as if searching for something.

"Ha ha he is so clumsy!" Hirumi giggled. _Is everyone here blind?!_

"Ah, here it is!" he took out some papers from his pocket. "Huh? Whatya al looking at?! Can't a man be forgetful here? Bah! Anyway, now that I am the new ruler of this school I-"

Sakura had it enough and whispered. "Hirumi-san, don't you see that he has one big eye?"

"Huh?" she looked back at Hitotsume. "Oh gods, you are right!" she shouted in low tone.

"You noticed it just now?" something was weird here. "We have to-"

"Keep silent." Hirumi cut her off. "Else _they_ will come…"

"Who is _they_?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"You know how it is in the Manga and Anime…" Hirumi whispered. "There is always some secret organization keeping such existences a secret! And they will eliminate any witnesses." She closed her eyes and turned back. "Don't look… don't look."

_Oh come on, are you a child?_ "That is-"

Suddenly, a hand covered her mouth and pulled her back.

"Sakura-san?" she could hear Hirumi. "Sakura-san, where are you… oh no, _they_ got you!"

Sakura couldn't believe this herself. This was all so bizarre she thought she must be dreaming.

"So, you were not fooled by this trick eh?" a female voice asked her, Sakura could not turn her head to look at who it was. "Impressive…"

"Mhhm?" Sakura mumbled a question.

"I am from the S.I.C." the mysterious female said. "And you are coming with me."

_Oh my, Hirumi was right: they really do exist!_

* * *

Sakura was brought into one of the school's clubrooms. She did not know what this S.I.C. was, but they seem to have had a headquarters inside the school. _Our school has fallen victim to monsters… what are we going to do?_

She didn't dare to look at the female who brought her here and any questions she asked her were answered with a "fufufu".

However, there was another person in this room, sitting in front of a computer. _He must be the big bad boss!_

"Like I annonced, I brought a candidate!" the female said to him.

_Candidate for what?!_

"Oh really?" the man answered and turned around. He had short black hair and glasses and was dressed as a teacher. Sakura recognized him as her Internet Security teacher. "What is your name young lady?" he asked with a kind smile, no doubt to create an illusion of comfort.

"Sakura. Kibiki Sakura!" she did not dare to lie.

"So tell me Sakura-san…" he crossed his fingers, liek a true villain. "You are not a member of any clubs, are you?"

_Huh? What does that have to…_ she shoke her head.

"Good. So why do you want to join the Supernatural Investigation Club?" he asked.

"…the what now?" Sakura was confused. Wasn't this some big bad organization that intends to take over the world?

"…did you even speak properly to her?" he looked towards the female that brought her here. "Huh, Ichinoe-san?"

Sakura looked towards the girl and recognized her. _Ichinoe Araya-sama… the Tycoon Princess._

"Nope, thought this would be more entertaining." She said with a smile.

"Oh my…" the teacher, Onieda Mamoru, put a hand on his forehead. "Why must you always make it difficult…" he sighed.

"Well, she noticed Hitotsume is a youkai so we have to do some explaining as well so..." Araya started apologizing.

"I am too old for this..." he complained.

Sakura was still not sure what was going on and what is the deal with the headmaster, but for some reason she felt her tension leaving her... and got a feeling that this is a funny place she wouldn't mind spending her time in.

* * *

**Author Notes**: And we continue where we left of with a scene that soon turns into a deeper look into Rihan's thoughts and, what probably more, a better look at Araya's character. Who of the two was the main character in that scene I'll leave to readers to decide.

Following that we have a look into Mayuri. other than a basic info on her family situation, we also find out she has a brother as well as where her heart is. I hope she doesn't end up being disliked for her envy though there should be enough time later for her to show her other sides.

In the end, we finally meet some members of the _Shin Sekai_, one of whom is member of the Founding Family itself and thus a big shot. I didn't originally plan to introduce him this early, but situation developed in a way that his introduction was quickened.

Oh yes, and Sakura ended up being asked to join the S.I.C. Guess Shima will be quite happy to have another girl in the group... with Mayuri a bit displeased I guess. Well then, lets see what implications this ends up having.

And let me thank my Alpha Reader **Citsimsan** without whose help this story would be far less stable and to my Beta Reader **Suki90** who helps in protecting you from my grammar mistakes.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and hope you review it. Till next time (which should finally be the end of the _Introduction arc..._ I am pretty sure that one will not be split)!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Yashagoro was dreaming about the past.

It was the day that youkai will not soon forget: the Great Cleansing. On that day, the corrupted Onmyouji of the Gokadoin House committed a slaughter upon youkai across Japan, killing with no discrimination. Kyushu, where Yashagoro lived, was hit the hardest by these human monsters.

And Yashagoro himself was close to death that day. He remembered one of the Gokadoins: he was ridding on an Orochi, his limbs were made of elements and his face… his face was the one of a proud killer with no remorse. In just one moment, hundreds have died. And had Yashagoro not been far enough, he would have been caught in his attack as well. But he was far enough… and he ran… ran for his life, like most of the other survivors.

Luckily, _that man_ did not go after them, instead continuing to search for the Tsugumo Clan that ruled Kyushu at the time.

…

But the nightmare was not over yet.

_That man_ may not have gone after them, but lower ranking Onmyouji of House Gokadoin did. And although they had not been as strong as _that man_, they were still a powerful force... powerful monsters.

And they were powerful enough to kill many... or maybe it was just that everyone was too afraid to put up a proper resistance.

Yashagoro knew he would soon be dead. But due to his pride as a youkai he did not want to get killed by these Onmyouji without at least putting up a fight... and due to his pride as a descendant of an Onmyouji, he felt a need to stand up to these Nue worshiping abominations.

But fighting against the skilled users of the Gokadoin Onmyojutsu proved to be hopeless and Yashagoro would have been killed... if not for an youkai jumping in and saving both him and the other refugees that Yashagoro travelled with.

His savior did not say even a word, neither to him nor to the Gokadoin insults. He just patted young Yashagoro on the head, took out his katana and finished the low-ranking Gokadoins, proving that there are youkai who can stand up to these abominations.

His name was simple: Suiro Mizuchi. And that day, he became their leader.

...

The Edo's Nura Clan and its allies mirraculously managed to defeat the Nue and killed most of heads of the Gokadoin House. Youkai across Japan cheered in name of Nura Rikuo and Hagoromo Gitsune, their saviors.

But the Kyushu youkai still couldn't afford to cheer. The traditional enemies of the Kyushu youkai, the Kirihistan Exorcists from Nagasaki, used the situation and started their own cleansing of the island, killing everyone that was not purely human, even the Kami.

Under leadership of Suiro Mizuchi-sama, the refugees made their way to Hashima, the Battleship Island. There, in alliance with other refugees and the youkai of Hashima, they were to make their stand against the Kirihistan Exorcists.

And Mizuchi-sama lead them to a victory.

And it did not stop there. In that city, the very symbol of human corruption, they became a Hyaki Yakou under leadership of Suiro Mizuchi-sama: the Hashima Kyushu Youkai Clan. And after only a few years, they took over control over the island of Kyushu and even the Tsugumo Clan, the former rulers of the island, became their ally after Mizuchi-sama's and Tsuchigumo-dono's fearsome duel.

But they did not intend to stop there. No... they had a cause to fight for: they wanted to create a place where youkai can live without fearing the human influences. Thats why they were still called Hashima Kyushu Youkai clan even though Hashima is not even their capital anymore: the very name reminds them of what they are.

The youkai of the Hashima Kiyushu Clan did not hate humans nor did they think of them as lower beings.

No... they were simply terrified of them.

* * *

Yashagoro woke up from his past.

He looked around a bit and noticed that he was resting in a luxurious apartment... no, in a high class hotel room.

_What am I doing here?_ He wondered. The nausea he felt hinted that whatever happened to him, it was painful.

„Oh, you woke up earlier then we expected, Orochimaru-kun~"

The soft voice of Kibiki Azuru was all he needed to remember what has happened not long ago: he ended up in a fight with this youkai girl and ended up fainting in front of her and her human partner, not even being able to put up a proper fight.

He quickly rose up from the bed and looked for the youkai girl. She was sitting not far from him, playing with a Rubik's Cube. The fact that she turned its pieces around in fast pace as well as the frustrated expression on her face hinted she was not doing a good job with it.

Yashagoro continued starring at her. She was a dangerous enemy and he was still not sure what she and her partner wanted from him.

Azuru raised head towards him and smiled. „Could you help me with this? Please~" she offered her toy to him.

„No." He resisted her seductiveness and gave her a cold reply. „Why are you here?"

She sighed. „Mahiro-sama is still angry at me for not making you come here peacefully so he said..." she raised her pointing finger and continued in a masculine voice „As your punishment, may you suffer for an eternity! Here, solve this." Yashagoro hated to admit it, but her acting was kind of cute. „And so here I am, suffering for an eternity with this demonic artifact and waiting for you to wake up."

„And just what business could the two of you possibly have with me?" he asked.

„I am not sure myself." She shrugged with her shoulders, returning to her fight against the Rubik Cube. „I noticed Sakura having found herself a new friend and Mahiro noticed you are a youkai."

He was surprised to hear that it was Mahiro, the human, who recognized he was a youkai. He had a bad feeling about him when he saw him and now he is sure there is more to him than it meets the eye.

„After few minutes, he identified you as the descendant of the famous Orochimaru and a member of the Kyushu Clan. After that, he simply ordered me to bring you to him."

„And what do YOU think he may want from me?" he asked, though he doubted she would answer him.

She stopped playing with her toy and starred at it for a few moments. She then smiled, put it away and started walking towards him. His body calmed as if preparing to strike, although he doubted he could do anything to her.

„Let me ask you something first, Orochimaru-kun." She stood in front of him and started playing with her hair. „If Sakura and me asked you to spend a week on... lets say Hawaii... whose offer would you accept?"

He could feel her Fear consuming him again, but if he was good at something, it was protecting his will from an enemy's Fear. „Not yours." He replied. „And if you don't stop, your Mahiro will be disappointed at you for starting another fight."

To his surprise, she started laughing. „Well, well... you are the first one to give me such a harsh rejection." She then calmed down and said. „Well, as a reward for staying loyal to my sister..." She gave him a naughty look and added „...for now... I'll reward you with a hint."

„A hint?"

„Yes... you see, me master is an expert..." she turned around and started walking around. „An expert at... well, at royally screwing up everyone he can."

„Huh? What kind of a hint is that?"

„Well, it ain't the same kind of metaphor with him as it is with other people." She walked to the window. „Be careful boy... he likes turning kindness into cruelty... servants against their masters..." she started drawing something on a window with her finger. „...love into hate... brothers against sisters..."

* * *

And so, from this day on, the girl called Kibiki Sakura will be the formal member of the S.I.C.

She was still in the clubroom, with Onieda Mamoru and Ichinoe Araya. The other members were supposed to arrive soon.

Mamoru was typing something on his tablet. Although he is a teacher, he is young, a prodigy and handsome thus many female students call him _ICT Prince_. He is also a fun and relaxed teacher, open-minded and well mannered, all the qualities that the girls like.

The red-haired ponytail girl with glasses, called Ichinoe Araya, was browsing through some books and through her cellphone, as if looking for some kind of information. Sakura knew her as the _Tycoon Princess_, an eccentric and trouble-making rich girl that can get away with anything and if something happened at school, you can bet your money that she is either the cause or had a hand in it. Sakura was not sure how much truth was in those rumors until Araya practically kidnapped her today.

Kibiki Sakura herself was sitting and doing nothing but waiting for other members to arrive. She didn't speak as part of her was shy to be in company of these two celebrities while another part of her was still trying to get used to the fact that youkai existed.

* * *

She heard the door opening and a male voice saying „I am here!"

„Oh, Nura-kun!" Mamoru replied, raising his head and smiling towards the figure behind Sakura. „You came alone?"

_Nura-kun?_ Sakura's eye widened with surprise and she looked behind her. Orderly but long black hair, handsome face and a cool expression... it was the most charming and handsome male student at the school: the _Yakuza Prince _Nura Rihan, supposedly a member of some yakuza family. Although she thought Yashagoro was more handsome, she was still feeling embarassed to be in this boy's presence.

„Onee-san was nowhere to be found so Mayuri-san and Shima-kun went to find her, Mamoru-sensei." He then turned turned his eyes to now blushing Sakura and made a surprised face. „Hmm?"

„See, I managed to find us a new recruit." Araya said and put a hand on Sakura's shoulder. „Please do meet Kibiki Sakura-san."

Rihan sighed which made Sakura feel uncomfortable. Then he smiled and bowed. „Glad to meet you Sakura-san. I am Nura Rihan."

„G-glad to meet you as well." She returned the bow.

„So... did you come here willingly or did Araya-san force you to come?" he asked a shocking question.

„What?" Araya didn't sound amused. „Are you suggesting that I-"

„She kidnapped me." Sakura cut her off. She was still a bit angry due to treatment she got from this girl and no embarrassment will stop her from getting her revenge.

Rihan gave Araya a menacing look. Araya just turned around and raised her hands. „Sorry, sorry..." she didn't sound sorry though.

Sakura started to feel some guilt however. „But I still accepted to join it." She rose from her seat and bowed again. „So please, do take a good care of me."

Rihan patted her on the head. „As you say Kibiki-san. People here can be hard to deal sometimes, but you'll get used to it and I am sure we will get along." He pulled his hand back. „By the way, you know what this club is right?"

„Yep!" she replied. „The Supernaturally Ridiculous Club!"

Rihan had a surprised face for a moment and then he started laughing. „You'll do fine here!"

On other hand, both Araya and Mamoru looked a bit annoyed. Sakura had a feeling they won't forget this declaration anytime soon.

* * *

Few minutes later, the door opened again. „I am sorry... I just couldn't find her." Said a girl with curly orange hair.

„Oh, welcome back little sister." Mamoru replied. „Don't worry, I am sure she will come back soon enough. By the way, do meet our new recruit."

„New recruit?" just then did Mayuri notice Sakura. „Oh?"

This was the beautiful and courteous Onieda Mayuri, also knows as S_unny Princess_ due to her orange hair and light brown eyes.

_Another princess?!_ Sakura started to see a pattern here.

„Kibiki Sakura, first class." She bowed to Mayuri. „Please take good care of me."

„Oh..." she still looked surprised but then smiled and bowed. „Onieda Mayuri. Glad to meet you Kibiki-san." She greeted her, starring at Sakura like she was evaluating something. „I take it Araya-san was the one who found you?" she looked towards Araya and Rihan.

„Well, who else?" Araya's voice replied.

Mayuri looked back at Sakura and smiled again. „Well, I am sure we will get along Kibiki-san." She then started walking towards her brother. „Nii-san, I want to ask you something."

„For some reason, I feel like she doesn't like me much." Sakura said to herself once Mayuri was far enough to not hear her.

Her words weren't left unheard though. „She has crush on Rihan-kun and finds anything with breasts a threat." Araya whispered into her ear.

„Ichinoe-san?" Sakura jumped back.

„Please, just call me Araya-san. I don't like it when people greet me with Ichinoe." She smiled. „Anyway, you will get used to her. I know, I did as well."

„Wait, what... I don't..." Sakura did not want to be seen as a love rival so she turned towards Mayuri and shouted. „Mayuri-san, I already have a crush!"

A moment of silence ensued and then everyone, besides baffled Mayuri and tense Sakura, fell into laughter due to her funny looking outburst.

* * *

„There is no hope!" the door opened again and another prince, this time blond haired boy with prickles well known as _Pervert Prince_, entered. „She and her cell must have disappeared from the face of-" he suddenly went silent the moment he noticed Sakura.

He turned to Araya and, with a smile, gave her a thumbs up. He then fixed his hair, walked to Sakura and bowed. „You must be our new member. I am Shima Ryu, glad to meet you."

„I am Kibiki Sakura." She bowed as well. „Glad to meet you Pervert Pri... I mean Shima-kun."

„Ah... you..." he almost started crying.

„She may look moe, but deep inside she is a cruel, crazy woman..." Araya commented. „I like her!"

Next five minutes, Sakura spent on apologizing to and calming down the _Pervert Prince_.

* * *

Then, the window opened and the last of the members jumped in, holding some kind of box in her hands. White haired beauty with unnatural golden eyes and wearing a scarf, this was no doubt Rihan's older sister Nura Ritsura: the untouchable _Ice Princess_.

„Here I am!" she proclaimed in front of the silent audience. „Sorry for this, mom came to school and I had to evade her so I-" She then noticed Sakura and, rather then to start talking to her, she put her box on the table, walked to Araya, grabbed her by the collar and whispered „I asked you to find a boy. A boy! Does she look to you like a boy?!"

„No..." Araya replied with a smile. „But she is moe!"

Ritsura turned to Sakura and walked to her. She put a finger on her chin and started starring. „Hmm..."

„A-ano... I am Kibiki Sakura." She bowed. „Glad to meet you and please take a good care of me."

„Hmmm..." for few more moments she continued starring at now sweating Sakura when suddenly „Kyaah! You are so adorable!" she hugged her. Her touch was cold so Sakura guessed some of the rumors about her were true. „You are not adorable as my mom, but you are still an extremely adorable creature!"

„Nee-san... you are strangling her." Rihan grabbed his sister and pulled her away. „Also, what is with this box and the manga in it?"

„Oh, that? I just stole it from the Headmaster's office." She answered as if it was a natural thing to do.

„...you really shouldn't talk like that in front of your sensei..." Onieda Mamoru complained.

He was ignored however.

„Oh, I forgot that I haven't introduced myself yet." She pushed her brother away, coughed into her hand and said: „I am Nura Ritsura-sama!" then, the temperature in the room fell down a bit and Ritsura's uniform disappeared, replaced with a gray kimono. A fan also appeared in her hand, which she used to cover half of her mouth while her free right arm she raised up „The heiress of the Edo Nura Youkai Clan, daughter of the Master of all the youkai Nura Rikuo himself!" small ice crystals also started falling around her. „But you can call me Onee-chan!" she winked.

„Wha..." Sakura was not sure if she found the scene impressive or bizarre.

„And you can call me Onii-chan." Mamoru appeared and said, holding a finger on his glasses. „Our little siblings never call us that so... please?"

„Umm..." Sakura was left speechless by Ritsura's crazy behavior and Mamoru's personality making a radical turn „...that is... kinda..."

Then Rihan chopped his sister and Mayuri her brother. „„OUCH!""

„Just call him Mamoru-sensei." Mayuri said with a sigh.

„And just call my sister Ritsura-san."

„Umm... alright." Sakura nodded and turned to Ritsura. „Glad to meet you Ritsura-senpai."

„Ah..." Ritsura froze for a moment and then her eyes started shining. „N-nobody in this this disrespectful gang ever calls me that... I... I..." her eyes started... producing ice pearls. „Just after my mom, you really are the most adorable thing ever..."

„Thank you Ritsura-senpai." Kibiki Sakura answered with a smile. „I find you quite adorable as well."

Suddenly, Ritsura turned into stone.

„Ho-ho..." Araya commented with her mocking smile. „Was wondering when you'd make your next strike..."

„I... I... I am the heiress of the Nura Clan!" Ritsura started yelling „I am cool and fearsome, not adorable!"

„Ritsura-sama, but you are adorable!" some small fairy like creature, probably a youkai, with a crown of glass flew from Ritsura's scarf. „You were adorable since you were a kid!"

„No... no... I am not..." she fell on her knees. „Araya, proper music please!" she said, breaking the atmosphere for a moment.

„As you command!" Araya took out her cell and a sad music started playing.

„I am not adorable... it is forbidden to even call me that..." she hugged Sakura, still crying. „But I forgive you, my adorable little Sakura-chwan."

* * *

„Ahem!" Mamoru coughed. „Now that we are all here, can I get your attention please?"

Everyone turned towards Mamoru.

„Good, we have two club related topics to discuss. First..." he pointed towards Araya with his hand. „Araya-san, please."

„This is about _Koko no Kira_." She started but Rihan cut her off.

„Araya-san, can we please not-"

„This is not about you this time, Rihan-chan." She replied. „Supposedly, some guest today was almost caught by it..." she turned towards Sakura. „Your friend I presume?"

„Well, thats... wait a second, Koko no Kira is... real?!"¨Sakura was surprised and terrified.

„Yep, everything you heard about him is true." Araya crossed her arms. „And we are worried he might claim another victim."

„Yashagoro-san was not claimed though..." she answered. „He was just merely interested in the pillar."

„Yashagoro-san?" Mayuri asked.

„He is my... uhm... friend." She replied with a blush. Araya smiled at it. „Anyway, it was just pure interest... though I admit he does look a bit like a delinquent... a dreamy, hot delinquent..." she felt them giving her weird stares. „...umm, not that I'd approve of it mind you! Although..." she started daydreaming again „..shirtless Yashagoro-san with scars over his chest... sitting on a motorbike... holding a flag and a baseball bat, but with a kind and loving expression on his face... KYAAAH!"

„I like what you are imaging Sakura-chwan..." Ritsura nodded. „Although I have no idea what he even looks like."

„No, no! Stop imagining him!"

„Heart attack... due to moe..." Ritsura put her hands on her chest. „I am not sure... I can last much longer guys... Rihan... take care of..."

Rihan sighed. „Anyway, we can't ignore there is a chance that he got Koko no Kira's attention. If something weird happens, do notify is. It is for his own good."

„O... okay." Sakura nodded. „What is the second thing that had to be discussed." She wanted to change the topic.

„The second thing is..." Mamoru dramatically turned around and said: „Tomorrow after school, we are going on a field trip to Mount Nejireme to do some youkai research..." he turned his head back and smiled. „...and we are staying there over the weekend, in a hot springs resort."

* * *

When Yashagoro woke up, he was prepared for many possible things to happen.

However, being invited to a western style party of the rich class in a luxurious hotel was, admittedly, not one of the scenarios he expected.

He was made to dress for the occasion and sent here. He was currently alone and, as weird as it may sound, he'd wish Azuru or even Mahiro was here to keep him company. However, Azuru said she'd come later and Mahiro is nowhere to be found.

Few of the guests tried to speak to him and for those few who did, Yashagoro didn't show any respect and they left him alone, complaining about his lack of manners. All in all though, it was an uncomfortable atmosphere for him.

It didn't take long for his ears to find out who the host is: as part of him expected, it was that young man called Onieda Mahiro who hosted it. And he assembled quite a nice group: tycoons and stake-holders of various successful companies, and even some well known and influeantal politicians as well as members of yakuza. And some of them were foreigners... and there were even youkai in this group of people. Furthermore, due to numbers, three floors were reserved for only one party.

If Mahiro wanted to impress him, he did a fine job.

Yashagoro attempted to learn more about _Shin Sekai_ by listening to the conversations, but he had no luck with it. Instead, he learned about the Onieda Family which, Yashagoro concluded, were the _Founding Family_ of the _Shin Sekai_.

Onieda Masahide, now eighty five years old man, found the Onieda Corporations, a family business that invests in all areas of scientific research and finds a use for its products. They own a dozen companies, from ICT sellers to overseas weapons factories.

His son, Onieda Masato, is the current head of the business and even Yashagoro knew who he was. He was the one who made the Onieda Corporation famous by successfully modernizing hundreds of services in Japan, from cinema's to train transportations, controlled by computer technology and connecting them into one, huge flawless system. In just ten years, he made the life rating in Japan increase, made every company work better by improving their Information Systems, optimized productions of all kinds of factories... one can write a book of how much he did for Japan... and the world itself.

Onieda Mahiro is Masato's son and heir. Though still not reaching his father's level, Onieda Mahiro did a lot to expand and strengthen the Onieda's capitalist empire.

Mahiro however is not his oldest son: he had two older brothers.

Onieda Masashi was only known for dealing with lowlife and is considered a failure... and he had misfortune to find himself in Nakano City few years ago and was found dead few days after the slaughter occurred. Many of these people here considered it to be a good riddance while Yashagoro started suspecting that Onieda's were somehow involved in that incident.

Onieda Mamoru is still alive, but left the family business for some unknown reason. While Mahiro was a tycoon, Mamoru was an ICT expert who fixed the few existing flaws in the information systems Onieda Masato created, killing any remaining strong criticisms against the so called _Onieda Revolution_. He also started few ambitious projects and while Yashagoro didn't learn anything about them, one thing was certain: many people here were very excited to see them put into motion. Everyone finds it quite disappointing that he abandoned his career to become a teacher in some unimportant town.

„Enjoying your time here, Yashagoro-kun?" Mahiro's voice asked him.

Yashagoro turned around and saw the young man in his twenties... and then his eyes fell to Azuru, dressed in an expensive one-piece blue dress and a necklace made of pearls. She immediately noticed him starring and winked, a gesture that woke him up from his admiration.

He turned to Mahiro and answered. „I find it to be quite uncomfortable. However, I am impressed if nothing else."

„Ha ha, and I thought you'd be. A shame father and grandfather didn't come... nor that one person I so wanted to see." The man with dark brown hair laughed. „And you are also impressed by my pretty partner I see. Should I leave you two alone for now?"

Yashagoro was tempted to accept his offer, though he was not sure if he wanted Azuru's company or to evade this man... or, most likely, both. However, he decided to reject it. „No need." He looked around and noticed something strange. „How come nobody is trying to catch the attention of the celebrity?"

„There are Onmyouji who can hide their presence from youkai." Mahiro answered with a smirk. „And our organization got the knowledge of how to use it... and improved it to be more useful."

Yashagoro, a descendant on an Onmyouji himself, was disgusted. „I see that usual scientific research is not the only thing Onieda Family is researching."

„As a matter of fact, grandfather started the organization with a goal to research what you call Fear and Onmyoujutsu." He said, taking a glass of wine from a table. „Everything else exists to support that research."

„To give an example..." Azuru joined the conversation. „...we can use this technique, that Mahiro-sama uses to hide his presence here, on weapons our factories produced... so we have neat stuff like invisible, armed helicopters." She raised her fists and stretched her fingers „They appear from nowhere, go BAM BAM BAM THRRRRRRR and then they disappear."

„Thats an abomination." Yashagoro said instinctively.

„Ha ha ha..." Mahiro laughed. „That is an abomination only from your perspective... _Youkai Onmjouyi_."

Yashagoro clenched his fist. He didn't like that name being used for him. „How... do you know about that?"

„We would be lame researchers if we didn't know about it." Mahiro sat down and drank some of his wine. „Your ancestor, also called Yashagoro, was originally an Onmyouji was he not? He used his techniques on himself a bit too much and became a youkai called Orochimaru. Later generations of Onmyouji became more careful with their techniques, thus starting to use terms like Gray Existence and Black Existence." Mahiro looked towards him again. „As a Onmyouji, you see Onmyoujutsu as something that is supposed to be used purely to fight youkai. As a youkai, you see Fear as something that belongs solely to youkai." He threw his half-filled glass towards Azuru who caught it, as well as some of wine that almost spilled out. „Do you know what is the greatest strength of us humans?"

Yashagoro clenched his fist. As a member of Hashima Kyushu Clan, he had quite a list but he still stayed silent, interested in what he has to say.

„Humans are experts at taking something from the surrounding, and turning it into something they can use." He raised from his seat and walked towards the glass wall and looked towards the town. „First, we conquered fire and used it to cook and dry our clothes. Then, we conquered wolves and turned them into dogs. We also conquered flora and fauna, turning it into a source of food, thus breaking the very laws of nature that requires us to hunt." He turned towards Yashagoro. „Wood to sail over the seas. Steel to create weapons. Steam and electricity to create life in machines." He walked to Yashagoro. „Onmyoujutsu to create magic. Fear to..." he pointed towards Azuru „...create youkai."

_Guess that explains why she is a youkai while her sister is a human._ He already heard that some clan in Edo knew how to create youkai, but that didn't stop the man in front of him to became more and more disturbing.

„On second thought, I don't care about all that. What did you want from me?"

„Come with me you two." He said, Azuru and Yashagoro followed him into the elevator. „Lets go to the highest floor. Due to number of guests, we had to use three floors you see."

„And third floor has specific guests." Azuru added with a vicious smile.

Yashagoro wondered what he would find there, but what he saw was...

„This floor looks the same like the one we were on a moment ago."

Mahiro smiled. „The guests are what matters. You see, the _Shin Sekai_ depends on wealthy investors... but sometimes, they become a nuisance."

Yashagoro's eyes narrowed. „So they are supposed to be killed?"

„Yes, I have been ordered to dispose of them." he started playing with Azuru's hair. „Gramps advised I use Azuru to kill them off quickly... but don't you think it would be boring?"

„So what? You want me to dispose of them instead?" Yashagoro asked.

„No, that would be even more boring." he replied, leaving Azuru's hair alone. „Have you heard about how, more then three centuries ago, a merchant called Sanmoto Mikanbune attempted to take over the Shogunate?"

Yashagoro never heard the name so he just shaked his head.

„You see, he had this delicious, addicting tea that allowed humans to feel Fear." He made a wicked smile. „However, you need to have either techniques or strong will else you'd go insane after drinking it."

Yashagoro looked towards the tables. He immediately noticed that everyone drank only tea... and how everyone complimented it.

„It is called Tea of the Conquerors... for a simple reason that it also makes those who drink it unconditionally loyal to the one who gave them that addicting drink." Mahiro raised his hand into the air. „I'll need to thank Yanagita-san for borrowing me some of it..." and then he shouted. „ALRIGHT PEOPLE, SLAUGHTER ONE ANOTHER AS BRUTALLY AS YOU CAN!" and he clapped.

In a matter of few moments, the elegant room turned into a butchery of people killing one another in the worst way they could imagine. The proud and respectable humans of few moments ago turned into mindless beasts. Even to a youkai, it was painful to watch.

But the greatest beasts were Mahiro and his companion, both smiling as if watching a fun movie.

Yashagoro had enough with this place. „What was the point of showing me this?!"

„For a monster, you sure lack style." Mahiro commented with a wicked grin. „Well, even our organization can't understand what me and Masashi-nii-san find entertaining so I can't blame you." He turned his gaze back to the slaughter scene. „If we do this to allies who became a nuisance, what do you think we do to our enemies?" he asked with a smile more wicked then of that Gokadoin of many years ago.

Yashagoro was left speechless. His heart started pounding on the thought of this man considering him his enemy.

„Don't worry... you and your clan don't matter much to us..." he said, as if to calm him down. „...yet." and at the same time left a warning. „You see, there is one person who, I believe, represents a threat to our organization... yet our grandfather, a person that discovered honor in his old days, wants to fight her honorably. Father does not see that person as a threat so he doesn't care... but I predict that person will become a problem in near future... and would prefer if an assassin disposed of her." He looked towards Yashagoro. „Up for the job?"

Yashagoro wanted to reject and leave this man and his woman. But one more look at the scene in front of him killed that idea. „Who is that person."

Mahiro took out an USB from his pocket. „Here is all you need to know." He threw it to Yashagoro. „Get rid of this nuisance that killed Masashi-nii-san and you and your clan will be richly rewarded."

„Not getting a reward from someone like you will be the best reward to me." Yashagoro walked to a window. „I am leaving," he broke it and jumped out. He didn't want to spend a second more in this place.

* * *

„What a cutie." Azuru commented with a giggle.

„He is a lame candidate..." Mahiro replied to her. „But if he survives the Nura's and that person, he will suffice."

„Talking about that person, you really are disappointed she didn't come?"

„I am disappointed my invitation was ignored just like that." He sighed. „No doubt, she is afraid... and rightfully so, even I am not sure I'd be able to not try to harm her. On other hand, I guess it also shows that her influence is not strong enough to protect herself... still wish at least something happened. This is just... boring."

„Who said that nothing happened?" Azuru's voice asked.

„Huh?" he faced Azuru, confused.

Azuru was even more surprised. „I didn't say anything!"

He then noticed that a plasma monitor, that usually served as a television or for distant communication, was turned on and the screen was white.

Words appeared on it: _„My master sends you greetings! :)"_

And then video appeared and on it was...

„Ha ha ha..." Azuru laughed. „Seems the hotel's security was breached and our other guests got to see what you did on this floor." She commented while looking at the screen that showed the guests from floors belows screaming and trying to leave the hotel at all costs, with only some wise enough to stay.

Mahiro covered his face with his right hand. „Gramps and father will be pissed. Well, guess I'll have to jump into taking care of this situation as quickly as possible." He removed his hand, revealing an excited, wicked smile. „But... this sure was a well done declaration of war... as expected of the one who managed to kill Masashi-nii-san... still, she could have done better."

* * *

„Here it is waka!" Natto Kozo said while giving Rihan an old book. „It took some time, but we managed to find it!" He added with pride.

„Yep, we indeed have! And we don't expect anything in return of course." Tofu Kozo said, pretending to be humble.

„Yeah right." Rihan laughed and put a hand into his jacket, taking out two bags of candies. „Here guys, I appreciate it."

„Thank you waka!" they caught his candies and ran off, to play somewhere as they usually do. He smiled as he saw them run, envying their childish spirit.

He leaned against the school's wall and looked at the book. It was a collection of youkai folklore, given to Rihan's grandfather as a gift two centuries ago. Supposedly, he saved some folklorist's life and the folklorist, believing Grampa Rihan was a youkai enthusiast, gave him few of the books he wrote as a gift. He doubted anyone in the Clan read them, but they were kept as a reminder in the clan's library anyway.

He checked a few pages in it. It seems to have been a collection of some (bad) artworks and poems of oral legends about youkai. Not finding it to be interesting material, he closed it.

The ceremony was over and the guests, as well as most of the students, have already left. The ones who remained were the school stuff as well as members of some clubs (including S.I.C.) and the Nura Clan youkai who were to restore the school into its original form so the classes could continue as normal tomorrow.

Normally, he would have helped but due to _that outburst_ earlier today, he was asked to leave it to others and rest. Since he was tired of being asked if he was alright and seeing that there were enough people to take care of it, he accepted their suggestion.

However, he didn't go home yet. He had nothing to do there: he did his homework, he studied enough in last few days and he was taking a break from training.

So he decided to use his time to satisfy some of his curiosity about one of his friends. Ichinoe Araya to be exact.

There were few things he found strange about her, primarily her knowledge of youkai. Even for someone interested in folklore, she knew way too much. Not only about youkai, but also about the youkai clans. Even when they first met around two years ago when she stumbled on him dealing with some drunk youkai, after few moments of starring at him in surprise, she was able to recognize him as Nura Rihan, son of Nura Rikuo of the Edo Youkai Clan.

Now, there are some influential human families that interact with youkai yakuza, but Ichinoe Araya was not related to any of them... and even if she were, she knew way too much. She either had special sources... or she was _very_ serious about researching the youkai world.

Her behavior was also strange. On one hand, she seemed kind enough to help anyone should the need arise, be it something small or big. On other hand, she can be an insensitive person, especially towards Rihan with whom ugly arguing often ensues, like at the Pillar today. Yet, she always somehow makes up for it, giving him no choice but to get over it.

If their relationship gets ugly, she somehow redeems herself. And if he starts considering her a close friend, she finds a way to start an argument and push him away. He didn't think about it before, but now that he looks at it... the balance is simply too perfect to be a coincidence.

And than there is her secrecy: after two years, he still knew nothing about her. Where she lived, who was her family, who were her old friends... nothing. And she seemed to be more than happy to leave it that way.

But today he finally learned something that gave him few ideas about her

And that knowledge tore him apart.

On one hand, he felt sorry about what happened to her and thought that it has left a scar on her personality which might explain some of her rudeness.

However, when he tried to connect what he just learned with what he knew, he grew skeptical about her motives.

The main question that arose was... if she saw her parents killed by youkai, would she not have a grudge against them? Instead, she acts like your usual folklorist: excited about anything that has to do with youkai.

There was an possible explanation for that... which he did not like, but possibility of which he could not ignore: she was pretending.

It would explain a lot: she knew so much about youkai because she searched for something... or someone, possibly to get a vengeance or something. For that goal, she befriended the Nura's and pretended to be on good terms with them. She is rude because in truth she despised a part-youkai like him while her kindness exists solely so she could stay close to them.

He truly hated that theory and prayed he was wrong. He truly wanted to believe she was a friend that is simply tough to deal with sometimes. He wanted to believe that she saw him as a friend as well and that all the help she gave him, including her offer to find out what happened in Nakano, were sincere.

Unfortunately, the trusting part of him died years ago and skepticism became an ugly part of him.

And thats what this folklore book is for. It may prove to be a key that will prove Araya's sincerity... or her darkness.

However, he was not looking forward to it. _Maybe I should think about this a bit more... there is no need to rush it and-_

„Waiting for someone?" the voice of girl that goes by name Araya asked.

_On other hand, it might be better to resolve this question now than let it grow into something bad._

He looked up. In front of him a red-haired girl was standing, with her usual mysterious smile.

„You left early." He ignored her question.

„I got bored so I decided to leave." She shrugged. „Besides, there is not much left to clean anyway. I won't be missed."

„Is that so? Here, this is for you." He said and threw the book to her.

„Huh?" she caught the book with a surprised face. „What is this?"

„A present..." he said. „...consider it a thank you for all the help today." _Saving me from Koko no Kira, helping me get over my depression and even going as far as to smear her own reputation to save mine... the hell am I doing here?_ He started feeling guilty for this plot, but it was too late to back down now.

„Hmm?" she opened it and her eyes widened. „Huh, this is a..." started storming through the book and back. „It is a collection of youkai folktales but... I never heard about it before, and I am sure I knew them all..."

„It was given to our clan as a gift two hundred years ago by some folklorist." He said, not moving his eyes from her. „Guess he never got to publish his works." He shrugged his shoulders. „But then, his illustrations are horrible and what I read of his poems is painfully cheesy so maybe-"

„Thats wrong." She simply said, looking at the book.

„Wrong? What is wrong?" he was surprised.

„It is beautiful, not horrible." She complained. „Yes, he may not have been some talented artist, but it doesn't matter. These illustrations were done with a lot of love. And these poems... have depth that one can't see unless he tries."

„Ah... I guess so..." he scratched his head. „Well, I am not someone who would notice that."

„Yeah, you are right I guess. Anyway..." She said and finally looked towards him. „Thank you, I appreciate it."

The happy expression on her face made her look like a happy little kid that finally got a toy she wanted for months.

He got his answer and felt stupid for doubting her sincerity. „You are welcome." He said, letting out a weak smile.

She caught on it. „Is something wrong?" she asked.

„It is nothing." He laughed it off. „Anyway, I am kind of surprised that even you can look cute."

„Is that so?" she scratched her head. „Hmm, I don't get such compliments often. But thank you, I guess."

His attempt to embarrass her a bit failed.

„May I be blunt and ask you something?" he asked with a more serious expression. There is one more thing he would like to see resolved and he decided to not do it by some cheap schemes this time.

„Depends on what you may ask." She said and her face turned serious.

„Sorry if it sounds weird or harsh but..." for a moment, he thought of asking another question instead. However, he decided to stick with it anyway. „...are you by some chance trying to keep a distance between yourself and the rest of us?"

Her eyes widened and she froze for a moment. Then, she turned her gaze aside and just starred at the air. After few moments, she asked in emotionless tone „Is this about me being rude?"

„Kinda."

She turned her gaze back to him and looked him into the eyes. „I have a feeling that you already accepted that as truth." She said with a sad smile. „Wish I could ask you to erase that idea from your memory you know. Such thoughts will just bring you pain in the future."

He took it as a confirmation. „What is going on Araya?"

„I am afraid I can't tell you that." She gave him a simple, yet not informative at all, answer.

He let out a sigh. He did not like her reply, but he doubted she would say anything more than she already did.

He put a hand on his chin and asked. „Well then, what will you do now Araya...-chan?"

„Ugh, -chan is it..." she put a hand on her forehead. „Nothing, what else can I do?"

„So, would you mind being nicer then?" he asked. „Please?"

She looked at him for a moment and then at the book he gave her. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and said. „Hmph, I'll give my best... as long as you keep this to yourself. Now if you'd excuse me, I have some chores to attend to." She turned around and started walking away. „And... thank you for the gift."

„You are welcome. Was glad to talk to you... Araya-chan." She jerked after hearing the honorific. She knocked her head with her free arm a few times as she walked away, as if punishing herself for making a mistake.

He leaned back against the wall. _Well, this went well._ He still felt sorry for doubting her, but he did not regret doing what he did. Still, her motivations for keeping her distance seemed impossible to guess.

_Well, there is time for everything._

* * *

Kejorou was standing in the hallway, with a serious face.

Internally however, she was laughing.

As for what happened... long story short, Ritsura ended up in fight with her mother again and tried to run away. However, the _Tsurara Clan_ caught the young girl and now, Tsurara's daughter was facing her mother, while in hallway behind her and stairway on her right were guarded by the cute Tsukumogami floating in battle poses.

„You have nowhere to run, dearie!" Tsurara proclaimed with crossed arms.

„Erm..." Ritsura looked towards the stairway. „If you guys let me pass, I'll get you some delicious, expensive strawberry syrup?" She tried to bribe the Tsukumogami.

„Tsurara-nee-san's orders are absolute!" the little Tsukumogami said, all while making adorable poses.

„Erh..." Ritsura scratched her head, probably trying to think of another way to get out of this situation.

„Hmph." Tsurara crossed her arms and made a smug smile. „Your escape routes are cut off. Now, for the punishment we discussed this morn-"

Tsurara was cut off by someone breaking the glass of the windows and jumping into the hallway. Kejorou put her hand to guard herself from potential shards and, when she moved her hand away, she saw Awashima, Reira, Yukari and Itaku in the hallway.

„Toono youkai?" Tsurara was surprised. „What are you guys doing here?"

„We just came to pay a visit." Reira, one of Ritsura's Toono mentors, said and bowed to the other Yuki Onna. „Though it seems we found Ritsura-chan in some trouble."

„Sorry for the windows..." Yukari, hidding behind Reira, commented.

„The little lady is in trouble alright! She spent the entire night playing in arcades and would have missed school had I not found her!" Tsurara explained. „And now she is trying to get away from her punishment."

Itaku, another of Ritsura's mentors, moved his eyes towards Ritsura. „Is that true?"

„What can I say... I wanted to become the Master of all Games you see..." Ritsura said with a wink.

„You can't do this Ritsura-chan." Awashima said, her finger on the chin.

Tsurara nodded with satisfaction.

„I am very disappointed." Yukari sighed.

Tsurara nodded with satisfaction.

„Yes, if you rebel against this clan's tyranny, don't let yourself get caught." Itaku complained.

Tsurara nodded with satisfaction.

A bit late, but she ended up reacting at what he just said. „Wait, what are you guys-" but she couldn't finish her sentence.

Itaku used a wind technique and ended up pushing Tsurara and her Tsukumogami away, freeing Ritsura from her trap. Ritsura then jumped at the window's frame. „See ya mom! I'll be back on Monday morning!" she gave her a peace sign and jumped out, followed by her Toono allies, with Reira bowing in apology before she also jumped out.

For a moment, Tsurara just sat silently on the floor.

„I am trying to teach her some responsibility..." Then she rose up. „Yet this... this... this irresponsible Toono Clan is spreading its bad influence on her."

From who knows where, she pulled her forehead ribbon with Nura clan's symbol and put it on.

„Tsurara Clan!" she yelled to her Tsukumogami. „Mobilize the Arawashi! Mobilize the Household! Mobilize entire Ukiyoe! We are getting my girl back!" she ran to the window and jumped out, landing on Hebinyoro. „IF THEY WANT WAR, THEY WILL GET WAR!"

And just like that, the adorable scene ended and Kejorou was finally able to allow the hysterical laughter to leave her body.

* * *

„_Yes, I get it Yashagoro-san..."_ a voice from a cellphone said. _„But who is this person... and why are we targeting her?"_

„It would take too long to explain." Yashagoro, sitting on top of a building, replied. „Not that it matters. This human has to die... preferably by some painful method." He clenched his teeth as he said the last part. Mahiro may not have said it, but he made it clear that a simple death won't satisfy him.

„_Is it for the good of the clan?"_ the voice asked.

„Not really. To be more exact, it is so nothing bad happens to us."

„_I don't get, Yashagoro-san."_

„As I said, you don't need to get it." Yashagoro sighed. „Look just... trust me, alright?"

„_If you say so, Yashagoro-san."_ He could hear sighing from the other side as well. _„So, what about the Nura's?"_

„Nothing much, they are still too well protected to make a gamble."

Eliminating the Nura siblings was not a simple matter, especially since the outcome and method they use could affect the future of their clan.

Due to certain happening, The Hashima Kyushu Youkai Clan was on verge of war with the Shikoku Clan and, due to Tamazuki's help and support during the Gokadoin Cleansing, Edo Nura clan already decided to support the Shikoku should a war break out. They may have done it believing that it would scare the Kyushu Clan thus evading an all-out war, but Mizuchi had no intentions to step down. To preserve their honor, the Nura Clan will have to fight them. Thus, the war with Shikoku and Nura's is unlikely to be avoided.

And Edo Nura Clan is a powerful adversary that should not be taken lightly. After all, they were able to almost completely annihilate those Gokadoin abominations. To make it worse, they didn't even suffer any major loses themselves, showing just how ferocious they are.

And lets not mention their network of allies. Should they enter a war, chances are that the Hagoromo Gitsune's Kyoto Youkai Clan would join them and possibly even the Keikain House of the Onmyouji's whose head, Keikain Yura, is a close friend to Nura Rikuo. And Nura Rikuo even made bonds with the Toono Clan's heir so that supposedly neutral village might also give them some support.

And the Tsugumo Clan... they are also on good terms with the Nura's and although they will not side with Nura's due to allying with Mizuchi, they will not fight them either. Thus, Kyushu Clan's military power would be halved.

It was a bleak situation and everyone but Mizuchi was pessimistic. Although Yashagoro is loyal to that youkai, his cynicism was stronger than his trust.

Yashagoro and some of his comrades decided to act: they will attack the Nura clan and attempt to weaken it by removing its head members. Nura Rikuo would be too dangerous, not to mention he is currently away in the States.

So they will target head members of the clan, starting with his two heirs, Ritsura and Rihan and then other head members loyal to the clan. With its leadership broken, Kyushu Clan should have it easier.

And should they fail? Well, Yashagoro and his comrades formally left the clan, supposedly to form their own Hyakki Yakou and noteven Mizuchi is aware of their intentions. Thus, the Kyushu Clan would not be blamed for their deeds. Actually, they all already accepted their own deaths. Their goal is simply to take as many with them sa they can.

„_This is getting tiring... well, at least we have this new contract to focus on while we wait for the opportunity."_

„Yes, thats..." Yashagoro started but then he noticed someone walking on the street, alone. „I'll call you later." He ended the call and then jumped down, without anyone noticing him.

He walked towards the black haired girl with a plastic flower on her hair and patted her.

„Huh, who is..." Kibiki Sakura turned around and, once she saw him, smiled „Oh, Yashagoro-san!"

„Good to see that you finally learned how to properly address me." He smiled.

„Ah sorry, my mistake... Yasha-chan!"

He sighed. „My mistake for reminding you." He then turned serious. „By the way, why did you leave me with your sister just like that?"

The smile from her face faded away. „Well... I had to come in time to attend the ceremony..." she looked to the other side. „Also, I guessed that you'd prefer my sister's company like everyone else."

As he thought, Azuru caused her younger sister to develop a sister complex. „Like hell I'd be pleased. Your sister is one highly unpleasant company to have." _As is her boss._

He expected to see Sakura happy to hear these words, but her face just became darker. „She told you to say that, didn't she?"

„Huh?"

„She already did something like that... twice actually." She started to sound like she was on verge of tears. „Why couldn't you just disappear? Thats hurts less then getting my hopes up and see them fall into water, all while onee-san laughs."

„What?" he was angered by her words. „You think I fell for your sister and want to bully you under her orders?" _Or more exactly, you want to say that she actually did that to you? Well, I shouldn't be surprised I guess... she did worse things than that with a straight face..._

„Of course you are." She sighed. „Everyone falls for her, even the boys who are not that obsessed about beauty... and even girls."

_That crybaby..._ „So, why don't you take me to your sister so I can punch her?"

This surprised her. „Huh? What are you talking about?"

„Well, it would prove my honesty and should stop her from causing any more trouble I guess." She shrugged his shoulders. „No matter how pretty she may be, with a good punch, not even the best make-up will save her." He said in a low tone, now wanting the pedestrians to misunderstand it.

„You are bluffing." She pretended to not believe him, but her voice betrayed her. „The moment I bring you to-"

She stopped talking once his mouth touched her forehead, giving her a kiss. He could feel some of pedestrians giving them looks, but he ignored them.

Once he pulled his head back, he saw Sakura was blushing and trying to mutter something.

„Well, you can believe what you want." He shrugged. „But if you don't give a doubt some chances, you may end up screwing yourself over."

„Well, I... alright I believe you! Can we please change the topic now?!" she asked in blushing desperation.

_Well, seems she is finally persuaded. _He laughed a bit and then said „Well, let me walk you for a bit." He put a hand on her shoulder, turned her around and pushed her a bit. „So, anything fun happened at the ceremony?"

„Well... a lot happened actually..." the blush disappeared and was replaced with a happy smile. „Ends up the new headmaster is some one-eyed youkai and nobody but me noticed it."

„Huh?" he was surprised. Partially because suddenly she started talking about the youkai and, more importantly, a disguise that fooled hundreds of students didn't work on her. It is nothing new that some humans can see through simpler disguises though. _Well, that is good to remember... don't want one of my comrades to fail in fooling her._

„But he doesn't matter." She said something that made no sense. „I ended up joining a club and making many friends due to it. Well, I knew them for a very short time but still..."

„Hm?" he had some bad feeling about this. „Which club exactly?"

She stopped and made a salute. „The S.I.C., mister!" she then dramatically moved her hand aside, almost hitting a pedestrian „The Supernatural Investigation Club!"

„Is that so..." being supernatural himself, this made him feel awkward. „And what kind of friends have you met?"

„Well, lets see..." she continued walking. „There is Shima Ryu, a pervert but seemingly a nice guy..."

_Well, seems normal so far._

„Then, there are Onieda Mamoru and Mayuri..."

The mention of name Onieda almost caused him to stop, but he was too well trained to show any signs of shock. _Dammit, I don't like this..._

„Mamoru-sensei is a teacher and the club's supervisor while his younger sister Mayuri-san is... well, she seems jealous at me as she is in love with another member of the club, Nura Rihan and is afraid that I am in..."

Again, he almost stopped in surprise. Hearing this, made him even more worried.

„...but I am sure that once she realizes the truth that we will be good friends." The happy Sakura said to growingly distressed Yashagoro. „Speaking about Nura Rihan, he seems kinda boring which surprised me as he is very popular. His sister however, Nura Ritsura, is one of funniest people I met and we already became good friends." She giggled.

Yashagoro couldn't take it anymore. „Hm, seems my cell is vibrating." He bluffed and looked at his cell. „Oh, seems I have to go."

„Huh, I could..." he pointed towards something behind her, making her turn around „Huh?" she fell for it. „Was there something behind... Yasha-chan?" when she turned back, he was no longer with her.

* * *

He saw her leave while he sat on top of a building.

_Great... just great._ It was painful to watch her happily smiling at the fact that she befriended the Nura's, knowing that he will cause her pain no matter how his attack on Nura's ends up resolving. _It is just my luck..._

What is more, Onieda's seem to have gotten their hands on her. He didn't know this Mamoru yet alone Mayuri for whom he didn't even know existed, but if Onieda Mahiro is an example of this family, then he is worried... and is wondering if Onieda's took Sakura as a hostage to keep him on a leash.

Also, what is the relationship between the Nura and Onieda families? It can't be a coincidence that their children are part of the same school club, yet alone that Kibiki Sakira was conveniently recruited after the Onieda's approached him.

Not to forget what happened with Koko no Kira. Why is it exactly at this school... and that person that talked to him after he was almost devoured by that youkai... who was it? _Now that I think about it, I think I may have been asked back then if I was with this Shin Sekai._ Shivers went through him... had he met them just a day earlier, he may have been caught in this youkai's fear.

_Could that person be related to this person I have to eliminate? Gods, in just few hours, this all became four times more complicated!_

He didn't know her for long, but for some reason he already cared for her as much he would for any of his friends. The fact that she had that nasty Kibiki Azuru for her sister angered him. The fact that Onieda's could be threatening her angered him. But nothing angered him as much as the thought of having to hurt her himself.

However, his clan comes first. He won't let a girl... a human girl... stand in way of his task.

_Still, it hurts._

His cell left out a tone, signaling that he got a mail. He took it out ajnd opened it.

It was from Kibiki Sakura.

„_It was very mean of you to disappear just like that _ _

_Anyway, just wanted you to know that we are going to Mount Nejireme tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday evening. So don't be surprised if you don't see me over the weekend! A shame nobody but us can go else I'd take you with me :(_

_Anyway, see ya!_

_P.S. don't ever disappear like that again, Batman!"_

He clenched his teeth. „Sakura why... why did you have to tell me this..."

Nejireme... this was a perfect opportunity he was waiting for: good location to stage an attack, targets will be relaxed and even the fact that it is under control of the Gyuki Clan will actually be a positive thing: they tried to assassinate Nura Rikuo and if they are careful enough, they will be able to frame them.

It was perfect... a perfect chance offered by Sakura however, meaning that he will use her kindness to eliminate her friends... or get eliminated by them.

„Nejireme, huh?" a female voice said and he could feel arms embracing him. he recognized both the voice and the person's perfume. „Good to know!"

„Azuru... how long have you been here?"

„You mean with you two?" she said, releasing him. „Enough to challenge you to go with your promise to punch me and prove your undying love to my baby sister." She giggled „What a lady-killer you are..."

He raised up and turned to face Sakura's evil sister in her youkai form, giving her a menacing look.

She looked at him the same way, just with addition of a mocking smile. „What, will you really go with it? You are a brave youkai, Orochimaru-kun."

He just starred at her for a moment „What do you want Azuru? Shouldn't you be cuddling to your Mahiro-sama or something?"

She just pointed at the sky. He looked up when suddenly he felt a kiss on his cheek.

He reflexively jumped back, forgetting that he was on the edge of the building. However, Azuru caught him by his collar before he could fall.

„I don't know if you realize it Orochimaru-kun, but..." she started, kneeling and still holding him above his death sentence. „...you feel like someone who has potential you know."

„Potential for what?" he demanded. „And get me up."

„Potential to accomplish anything really... you know Orochimaru-kun..." she continued, ignoring his request. „...Mahiro doesn't expect you to accomplish his task... nor your own one either..." she smirked.

„What? How do you know what I came here to-"

„We put two and two together, genius." She mocked him. „Well, if you succeed, then all the better. However..." she released him for a moment, but before he could scream she caught him again. „...you will likely fail at both. What we are interested in is how you will deal with it... or will you survive."

She finally pulled him up, but she did it by throwing him in the air. _Where the heck does this strength come from?_

He turned around in the air and landed on his feet.

„If you do well enough, the Shin Sekai will use you." She added.

„You think I'd become your lackey?"

„_Their_ lackey." She continued. „Remember the warning I gave you? No matter what you do or think, Mahiro-sama will make you into a puppet, maybe even turn you against your clan." She gave him a wicked smile. „Though it'd be more fun if you betrayed them willingly, don't you think."

The proposition to betray Mizuchi-sama angered him. „Beware of the words you choose woman... else I will..."

She sighed. „What a boring man without ambitions." Then, she gave him another wicked smile. „By the way, how do you like to be called: Yashagoro or Orochimaru?"

„Why do you care about that?"

„Just answer me."

„...Yashagoro." he answered, although he felt he shouldn't have. „I prefer to be called Yashagoro."

„How does the tale of your ancestor go again?" she pretended to be thinking. „Ah yes... a man called Yashagoro served a certain leader... until he betrayed him and was since then called Orochimaru..." the smile she gave him was frightening. „So, Yashagoro-san..."

She started walking towards him. He retreated back, but soon reached the edge of the building.

„Don't you think the history might repeat itself?" she asked, still walking.

„No, it will not..." He was not sure why, but he started sweating.

„Oh really?" she was only two meters away from him. „His blood flows through you, Yashagoro-san... and I can feel it... the darkness inside of you... Orochimaru-kun."

She was now standing in front of him, few centimeters away.

„You are threatened by the same curse as your ancestor... same blood, same onmyoujutsu... with time, you are destined to fall like he did..." She put her hands around him. „And when Yashagoro-san becomes Orochimaru-kun..."

Due to her Fear, he was unable to put up a resistance and their mouths touched, as did their tongues.

After some time, she pulled her head back and then continued. „...he may get an ally. Serving the Onieda's as a tool until discarded... now that is something I _really_ don't desire... nor deserve, wouldn't you agree?"

Without any further words, she walked pass him and jumped down.

Yashagoro stayed standing there for a minute, but finally ended up deciding to forget what happened here. He took his cell and called his comrades.

It is time to start preparing a plan. _I am sorry Sakura-san..._

* * *

Onieda Mamoru was sitting alone in the clubroom. He spent hours helping to clean the school, which was more work then usual as some of the youkai got drunk and caused some mess. Thankfully, they suddenly left in order to pursue someone and taking care of the cleaning could finally go on undisturbed.

However, he didn't come here only to rest. He took out his cell and called a number.

„_Hello?"_ a cold voice from the other side said.

„Hell, this is Onieda Mamoru." He introduced himself. „Is that you, Gyuki-san?"

„_Yes, it is."_ The youkai called Gyuki replied. _„How did it go?"_

„Hmph, they were pleased to hear about the field-trip." He said with a smile. „However, a new member joined us so expect a bit larger group."

„_Alright. Thank you for help, Mamoru-dono."_

„Are you sure about this?" Mamoru asked. „I know it is just a charade, but the siblings may end up... well, killing some of your subordinates to protect their friends."

„_Don't worry about us, human."_ Gyuki replied. _„Although there is a risk for us, the young masters need to get to at least feel what it is like to be in actual danger. It is for the good of our clan."_

„You youkai are so rough." Mamoru sighed. „But then, danger is looming on the horizon."

„_Hmph. As things are going, a war might break out."_ Gyuki replied. _„But I don't think you are talking about normal youkai clans when you mention danger. Are you talking about _them_?"_

„Yes." He gave a simple reply.

The danger he means are the Shin Sekai, an youkai researching organization created by his grandfather, Onieda Masahide. As member of the Onieda family, Mamoru was once also one of the heads of the organization, called the _Fourth_.

However, his morals did not allow him to stay long with them, to he abandoned the organization and left with his young sister, letting his younger brother Mahiro become the new _Fourth._

However, he knew too much and although that was a weapon that kept the _Shin Sekai_ wary of dealing with him, it was also something that made him a danger that needs to be eliminated. Thats why he came to Ukiyoe and made contact with the Nura Clan.

Of course, they think he is just someone who can get info on them. Telling them anything more would make the _Shin Sekai_ act against him. It was a delicate situation, but he had to do it, if only for Mayuri.

„Seems there was some commotion in a hotel in Ukiyoe... very close to Ukiyoe High."

„_What kind of commotion?"_

„Many rich people secretly held some kind of meeting there it seems." He continued. „I don't know what exactly happened, but it seems that a fight ensued and some folk left in hurry." He lied: he knew exactly what happened. He can't say too much, but this should suffice.

„_What do you think about it?"_ Gyuki asked for his opinion on the matter.

He decided to be honest here. „Whatever has happened, I think it is obvious that _Shin Sekai_ is no longer giving its best to preserve their secrecy. The commotion catches and holding the meeting here of all places... it is like they wanted to make a point to someone."

„_Hmph. It really is high time to prepare the clan for a war, whoever the enemy may be. You have my thanks Mamoru-dono."_ Gyuki said with his usual tone. _„Still, I feel you are hiding something from us. I hope you do not-"_

„I am not scheming anything against you, Gyuki-san." He said to the youkai yakuza „Anyway, I have to go. My sister is waiting for me."

„_Hmph, see you tomorrow then."_ He ended the call. _„Have a good night."_

He raised from his seat, put on his coat, took his bag and left the room.

He found his sister in the school's courtyard, cutting some flowers with scissors.

„It is a bit late for tending the garden, is it not?" he said to her.

„Oh, you are finally here nii-san." She said, raising up. „Got bored of waiting so I thought I'd help the flowers."

„Maybe you should think of joining the botanics club." He offered. „Those lazy students could a helping hand."

„Leave the fun club and join those obnoxious ladies." She sighed. „No w-" Suddenly, her eyes widened, as in shock. „What?" and then she started falling.

„MAYURI!" Mamoru yelled and ran to catch her before she could fall. „Mayuri, what is..."

Her body was cold, her eyes still open.

„Mayuri?" he couldn't feel her breathing either. He put his hand to feel her pulse, but there was none. It was as if... „Mayuri... what is..."

It was as if she were a...

„MAYURI!"

It was as if she were a corpse.

„Now, now nii-san." A male voice said. „Don't worry, she will be alright..."

Mamoru raised his head. In front of him, the terrifying sight of his younger brother, Onieda Mahiro, could be seen. He was smiling as he looked towards their little sister.

„What did you do?" Mamoru asked him.

„Nothing, I am just sending you a warning, Mamoru-nii-san." He spread out his arms. „It was very mean of you, telling Gyuki-dono that my party turned into a... commotion."

„You... how did you..."

„All the data goes through our child organization so it is not so hard to listen to a conversation." He put a finger on his chin. „Did you really think that those hacks you did on our system could hide you forever nii-san? Our organization evolved a lot since you left."

Mamoru clenched his teeth. He became too careless in these years.

„Your knowledge is a danger to us." Mahiro continued. „Furthermore, you came to Ukiyoe where Nura Clan is located and you even took care our sister befriends the Nura's... you are obviously not going to just sit and leave us in peace, do you? It is only a matter of time before your leaks turn into something more hurtful... unless we act."

„Don't bring Mayuri into this, you bastards!" Mamoru yelled at him. „Just kill me and be over with it!"

„I wouldn't mind that idea." He said with a smile. „However, both the grandfather and father hope you return. Actually, father still considers you his heir, rather than me... nor did he think of Masashi-nii-san as a possible heir." There was hate in his eyes. „Only you are... me and Masashi-nii-san are just tools, not his sons." he pointed towards Mayuri. „She is a tool as well you know."

„Don't call her that..."

He laughed. „Of course you would say that... else this tool would not be doing her job. She is our leash on you, nii-san." Mahiro shrugged. „Return to us and she will be safe nii-san."

Mamoru's grip on Mayuri's body got stronger. The cold touch was intimidating, but... „Get her back to how she were. Else..."

„Fine." He took out something that looked like a cellphone and pressed few buttons on it. „Just be careful of what you do, nii-san. You are the only one who cares about her." he turned around and started leaving them. „One press of a button is all that is needed to dispose of this tool. Gramps and father are going easy on you two, but thats just because they are still hoping for the best."

And the most wicked member of the Onieda family finally left.

Mamoru just stood there, holding his little sister in his arms. Her body temperature returned to normal and soon her consciousness returned. „Nii-san, what happe..." her eyes widened as she looked at him. „Why are you crying?"

„Nothing, my little sister." He said with tears coming out from his eyes. „I was just afraid..."

He is afraid... he is very afraid. However, he is not going to back down... not until his sister and the world she lives in are safe.

* * *

Onieda Mahiro walked through the school courtyard till he reached the Koko no Kira's Pillar. He looked at it for a few moments and then started to speak.

„So you are Koko no Kira, eh?" he smiled at it. „I can feel your Fear trying to devour me... force me into your world of fear."

The sensation became even stronger, but he continued smiling.

„But you know what is the problem with you Youkai?" he asked it, although he knew it would not answer. „It is that your power depends on fear... the more afraid the enemy is, the stronger you are... the more fearsome the enemy is, the weaker you are..." he put a hand into the fountain and took out a coin that someone must have thrown into it. „You are a fearsome and powerful beast, no doubt... yet, you can't even touch me... Why is that so?"

Even his human eyes could now see black fires jumping around him, trying to devour him.

„It is because I am a far more fearsome beast." He tossed the coin back into the fountain. „I may be a human, but I am a human who can even make youkai tremble in fear. Your own Fear... does not even impress me."

The fires started jumping around, becoming even bigger.

„There... you are trying to prove yourself... like a true coward." He smiled. „You were created to kill people like me... yet you can't even touch me... how pathetic you are."

Mahiro laughed and then gave it another wicked smile.

„It is disappointing... it is disappointing that a lame youkai like you was involved in killing my dear brother." He crossed his arms. „I just wanted to say that I'll take care both you and your master pay for it. And death..." he turned around and started leaving. „...will just be the ending act of a tale of your suffering as you watch your worlds crumble around you."

* * *

**Author Notes**: and after four chapters, the Introduction arc is finally over!

- this sure was one big chapter (30 A4 pages)... had to delay quite a few scenes just to make it smaller. Oh, and I changed the cover so it is no longer just three kanji... but three kanji spreading darkness around them...

- Yashagoro got a lot of development here: first we see how he survived the Gokadoin cleansing, then how his clan was formed (as well what their beliefs are), why he is he here and, finally, Azuru's dark foreshadowing

- then there are members of the Founding Family of the Shin Sekai... which ended up being Onieda's. We get some exposition on this family's members as well on how influential they are. Yet they are not in harmony: Mahiro disagrees with quite a few decisions his grandfather and father make and is not on good terms with his brother Mamoru (who is waging his own war against the SS). And speaking about Mahiro, he sure is one scary human... oh, and he seems to know Yanagita

- the other person who got some exposition was the girl who goes by name Ichinoe Araya. Few questions have been answered, but more questions appeared. All in all, she also brought some bleak foreshadowings

- as a side note, I love writing Tsurara in role of a strict mom. A shame her daughter didn't have much of a role yet, but that will change in near future ;)

- and of course, Gyuki intends to give the young siblings some experience. What could possibly go wrong? It is not like assassins are praying on... oh wait...

- now, I am going to write a chapter for my fic on FictionPress... which means there will be a small delay before ch5 comes out

**All in all, thanks for reading and highly hope you review it! 'till next time!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Eastern Night, Starless Sky

**Chapter 5**

It was a pleasant day for Kiyotsugu Saaya, emerald-eyed girl with black hair that reached to her shoulders. She spent this entire day with her friends, skipping school as there were no classes today. While it was technically irresponsible, she didn't regret it even a little bit.

And it sure was an eventful, fun day.

First, she and her female friends walked around town in school uniforms, enjoying the rare opportunity of walking around the town at this time when they are usually at school. People on the streets were surprised to see schoolgirls in their uniforms walk around the town at the time they should be at school and, interestingly, the girls enjoyed the fact that others were so surprised.

Then, they went to karaoke and had a great time there, spending more time fooling and laughing than actually singing. Unfortunately, some of songs will be forever ruined to Saaya as she will instantly remember embarrassing mistakes she and her friends did there.

Later, few guys from the school, who got tired of that ceremony down there, joined them as they went to one of those parks with a lake where you can fish for a small fee. Saaya can proudly say that she caught both the most and the best fish and even made some small amount of yen by selling advices to one of male friends who wanted to impress his crush. She didn't need the money, but money was never the point anyway.

After that, they visited a caffe, enjoying good coffee while remembering some funny events from their lives.

After that, they hired a few bicycles and rode around the town which soon turned into a race. Saaya did well, though admittedly she cheated by taking shortcuts.

And now the night fell, and Saaya said goodbyes to her friends and went home.

As it fits an old samurai family, it was a big mansion, built in a mix of traditional and western styles, with fancy furniture and servants... though her eccentric father let all the servants have a payed break from work.

Speaking about it, both of her parents were on a _Business Trip_. That means that her house tonight will be nice and quiet, perfect for resting a bit in peace. Maybe she will even write few extra articles for her Newspaper Club. It would pleasantly surprise her senpai who leads the club, no doubt in that!

"_Yes, it is a great day."_ She thought as she walked into the living room.

For those wondering why she was skipping school, it is because today it is supposed to be filled with a hundred of youkai. Heck, the new headmaster that just got appointed is a youkai.

As for why her parents were away, it is because her father is a rabid youkai fan and he got news of some Tsukumogami he wanted to check on and took mother with him.

And to be frank, Saaya got quite a bit tired of anything related to youkai, both due to her father being an eccentric youkai fan, her mother being a magnet for trouble and the fact that some of her childhood friends were youkai. And some cruel gods obviously didn't want her to spend even one day without them in it.

In her living room a certain girl, whom she knew very well, was sitting on a sofa and was eating her food, not even caring that she is making a mess which Saaya will have to clean herself.

"What are you doing here, Nura?" still in state of shock, Saaya asked her _friend_.

"Awh, Saaya!" Nura Ritsura answered while stuffing noodles into her mouth, with zero concern for manners. "I am fweating youf foog."

"I can see that." Saaya answered and started walking towards her uninvited _guest_. "WHY are you eating our food?"

"Why... Because I am dauvhter of a Nubvavihyon!" she proclaimed. Saaya was sure there were dozens of plates and bowls on the small table. Where she stores that food in her body will likely forever remain a mystery.

"Is that so?" Saaya said.

Few moments later, Ritsura was pushed out of the Kiyotsugu family's house.

"And don't come back!" Saaya yelled and locked the door. "Breaking into _my_ house and eating _my_ food. Not on _my_ watch she isn't!"

"Why have you come back?" sitting on a chair and waiting for her laptop to load up, Saaya asked the youkai girl who just broke into her house _again_.

"You skipped school today, Kiyo-chan..." Ritsura asked while sitting on a sofa and crossing her fingers like a cartoon villain.

"Too many youkai for my taste." she answered, fully honest. "And answer my question, please."

"The new headmaster will not be pleased that you didn't honor him with your presence." She said in a deep voice. "Soon enough, he shall... Oh look, fancy buttons! Didn't know there was treasure hidden in this thing!"

"Again: Why are you here?" Saaya's annoyance was getting dangerously near her limit.

"Ohohohohoho, it is a massage chair!" Ritsura seems to have completely forgotten about her and indulged herself in the sofa, subconciously cooling the room in the process.

Saaya sighed, turned the volume to maximum and played some heavy metal.

"KYAAAAH!" Ritsura shouted and fell from the sofa in surprise.

"You alright, Nura-san?"

"Y...yes... sorry for ignoring you..." she said while raising from the floor. "Anyway, is your father coming back home anytime soon?"

"He is currently in Itoigawa so I don't expect him to come back home today."

"Itoigawa? Something happened there?"

"Nothing worth worrying about." Saaya answered. Her father is impulsive, but when something seems serious, he takes care to report it to this girl's clan. "He simply heard a rumor and took mom, Shima-san and Maki-san with him." Saaya felt sorry for Shima amd Maki-san. Although their childhood ended long ago, her father still keeps their little group alive and active.

Ritsura almost asked about if she forgot to mention Torii but then remembered that she is in the States, with her fiancée Kurotabou.

"Ah yes... mom did say yesterday that Kiyotsugu-san asked if she would go on a _Club Trip_. She almost cried because she was too busy to hang with her old friends." Ritsura said as she returned to her sofa, turning the vibrations down.

"Why didn't she go?" Saaya asked. "I know she is officially the boss until your father comes back, but isn't that just ceremonial?"

"Something is going on." Ritsura said while sighing. "Father went to the States to investigate _something_. Karasu Tengu went west to deal with _something_. Gyuki-san is preparing for _something_. Even my carefree Great Grandfather is being more absent because of _something_."

Saaya sighed. She could see where this is going. "And you are upset because nobody tells you anything, is it?" Saaya knew Ritsura since forever and she knew very well that Ritsura always wanted to have a part in anything that the clan is doing.

"Damn right I am!" Ritsura replied. "It is one thing to keep me away from... important stuff. It is another to keep me in the dark!"

"Your father and the clan are just worried you know." Saaya somehow found herself defending the youkai of the Nura Clan. "You can't expect a parent to bring his kid into danger."

"Even his heir?"

"Your father has youkai blood, Nura-san. He'll be healthy and kicking for two centuries at least. The fact that you are the heiress won't matter for a long, long time."

"Ugh..." Ritsura did not seem fond of her answer, though she obviously saw the wisdom of it. "Still though, they are going too far."

"There is no _too far_ for parents." _Well, besides my father that is... but he goes too far in everything._

"Look who is acting all mature." Ritsura taunted her.

"I saw it on TV." Saaya shrugged.

"Look who is stealing someone else's hard work." Ritsura grinned. "Anyway, lets say the enemy decides to strike at his kids instead of him..."

"Your father and your clan will not let them get a chance."

"And in case they fail to keep them away and one of them reaches me or my little brother?"

"They will risk the wrath of history's greatest youkai and the most powerful youkai clan which, conveniently, serves him." Saaya striked back.

"And if they are strong or foolish enough to take the risk, then what?" Ritsura didn't give up. "We are inexperiened so we can't properly defend. No kind of training can make up for experience." Ritsura seems to have gotten tired of the massages so she turned the chair off. "But lets say they are not there to attack us, but use us. We don't know what is going on, who is who and they use our lack of knowledge to manipulate us."

"You are reading too much into it, Nura-san."

"I have to, Saaya." Ritsura replied. "I am the heiress of the Nura clan."

"Ahhh... you sure are stubborn..." Saaya's resistance started to crumble "Anyway, what does that all have to do with you coming here?"

"Because your father must know _something_."

"Why would my father know anything?"

"Don't try to sell me that excuse." Ritsura didn't buy it. "Your father is an expert at gathering info and it is something he found that made my father leave for the States. So either I somehow get some info from him... or I get some from you."

"And you think he told me anything?"

"With all due respect, your father can't stop talking. He must have let something he thought was trivial at dinner or something."

"Careful now, Nura-san. Only I am allowed to talk dirt about my father." Saaya warned her. "Anyway, trivial stuff is trivial."

"Trivial stuff to everyone else... but nothing is trivial for a reporter." Ritsura smiled again. "But you are as good as he is in digging for information. Furthermore, you have inherited both of your parent's fatal level of curiosity which is why you are such enthusiastic member of the newspapers club in the first place. And against all your claims of not liking my kind, you still won't be able to resist looking into what happens in our world."

Saaya looked at her for a moment and then sighed. "Alright, what is it that you want to know?" She tried to keep herself and Ritsura away from all this, but it was obvious her youkai friend was not intending to give up.

"Ha!" Nura Ritsura seemed happy at her _victory_. "Lets start with whom are they looking at. I heard they were called _Shin Sekai_ or something."

"Too big, I won't answer."

"What?! But you said..."

"Ask your clan about it if you want. Besides, nothing concrete is known about them so whatever I tell you is more likely to be false rather than true. Not that I found much about them to begin with."

"You promised..." Ritsura pouted.

"Look, they are not the only group that causes problems." Saaya tried to make a compromise. "Why not deal with someone else, show what you are made of and get quality info from your own comrades?"

"Too small..." Ritsura didn't want to give up.

"Fitting for someone with little experience." Saaya didn't want to give up and let her friend take too big risks. "Also, with your clan worried about this Shin Sekai, they need someone to deal with other problems least the problems accumulate, no?"

"Hmmm... I confess I did get a similar idea today." After few moments of thinking, she finally gave in. "Alright, give me something else."

"Hai!" Saaya replied happily and then stopped to think.

"...why are you silent?"

"Don't disturb me. I am thinking about what could actually be useful to you!" Saaya scolded her. "Go steal some food while I think."

"As you command!" Ritsura said happily and jumped from the sofa.

"I got it!" Saaya shouted happily.

"Oh come on, at least let me take a step towards the fridge!"

"Protecting my food is what motivates me the most, Nura-san." Saaya grinned at Ritsura. "Anyway, why not look into Shiori?"

"Shiori? Who is that?" Ritsura asked with a confued face as she sat back into the sofa.

"You know about the Edo Hyakku Monogatari Clan, right?"

"Do I? We only feuded for centuries and they only revived the Nue and they only killed my grandfather." Ritsura answered with sarcasm. "And they don't know when to die. You say they are up to something again?"

"Now this is just theorizing but..." Saaya took the laptop into her hands. "...my father believes that this person called Shiori, who might be behind a lot of incidents around Japan, might be one of them."

"An ancient enemy who causes trouble while we are busy with someone more worthwhile... tell me more." Ritsura was already intrigued.

"Anyway, as it fits her name _Shi_ which means _Poem_ and _Ori_ which means _Weaving_, this Shiori person makes poems, posts them on the net and soon it becomes true."

"An Evil Poet who kills people with poetry... are you kidding me?" Ritsura seemed disappointed. "That just makes her able to predict future at best. How does that even connect them to youkai feuds?"

"Nura-san..." Saaya was even more disappointed. "...what do you know aboot the Hyakku Monogatari?"

"Besides that we were feuding and that they murdered grandfather?" Ritsura asked. "Not much, they were an clan in Edo who killed hundreds of humans soon after my father became the Third Commander. Oh, and there are some ridiculous stories about them creating youkai but thats so ridiculous that they can't be..." once she saw Saaya nodding at the last part, Ritsura stopped speaking for a moment. "Wait, that is actually true?"

"Father claims it is." Saaya shrugged. "He said they created paintings and tales about youkai, spread them and than somehow the youkai were brought to life... which became especially nasty after Internet was invented as it allowed them to spread rumors more efficiently than before."

"Ah, I see... and this Shiori person writes poems about youkai and that youkai is then born?"

Saaya nodded

"So... any idea where to find her?"

"Not her, but some of her youkai at least should be easy to find. Let me check a bit... ah, lucky!" Saaya smiled as she looked on her laptop. "A new poem, which should come true today, appeared on the net."

"Let me see!" Ritsura ran to her and looked at the screen.

_On eastern night of starless sky_

_Yet star-filled towers_

_The Shogun of Sun's Origin_

_Is forced to play three games_

_By the clown in white_

_A game of agility_

_That makes the steel horses cry_

_A game of hiding_

_That makes sun's children cry_

_A game of Clown's riddle_

_That makes the Shogun cry_

"Hmmm..." Ritsura started. "What do you think, Saaya?"

"Eastern Starless sky and Star-filled towers... she used that for Tokyo in past." Saaya hated to confess it, but she was also getting excited about this.

"Games... I did hear that Hyakku Monogatari was a name of a game and that the clan of the same name liked to play bizarre games. Guess this explains it a bit..."

"So who is the Shogun?" Saaya asked. "The Prime minister? But he isn't in Tokyo at the moment..."

After a few moments, they remembered another person who earned that nickname.

"Oi, Saaya..." Ritsura was the first to open her mouth. "Do you think what I think?"

"The Cyber Shogun you mean?" Saaya answered. It was nickname given to a certain person who revolutionized Japan in recent years: Onieda Masato.

"Yep..." Ritsura looked her into the eyes. "You said you'd give me _something not-big_."

"That was the original plan..." Saaya replied. "Anyway, you intend to act on this or..."

"Of course I do!" Ritsura quickly took out her cellphone and started typing a number.

"Whom are you calling?" Saaya asked.

"The clan..." Ritsura answered. "I won't just stand and watch as they attack Mayuri's and Mamoru-san's father."

"Oh..." Saaya smiled. "Wasn't this supposed to be your _own_ moment of glory?"

"This is no time for childish games." Ritsura gave a simple reply.

"How mature." Saaya continued smiling. "You have two cell's right? Use the other one to stay in contact with me." She said as she started typing on her laptop while bringing out a tablet from her bag.

"Oh, you will help us, the youkai that annoy you?"

"There is time to be childish and there is time to not be childish." Saaya said with a smile. "And since my father is not here, I guess I have to take care of his duties. After all, you lowly youkai need human help these days."

Ritsura smiled back and jumped through the window. At the end of the day, the Kiyotsugu's continue to be part of her father's Hyakki Yakou, even if they are humans.

)(

"Alright, I am finished..." proclaimed Tsurara (still wearing the Nura Clan bandanna) while prostrating herself on Hebinyoro's back.

"Tsurara-nee-san, are you alright?" Oryou floated up to her face. "Do you want to rest at the mansion?"

"No, no... I am just resting for a bit." Tsurara rejected the tsukumogami's offer. "You guys continue searching for my daughter."

It was quite a tiring day for her. Preparing the food for the ceremony stole her many hours of sleep and so did taking care of the cleaning.

However, physical labor was never something she could get easily tired of. What tired her the most were her motherly worries. Hearing that her beloved son was again hurt by his trauma's felt like a stone falling on her back. And although he quickly recovered this time, the fact remains that he is still being plagued by those ugly memories and they are still a weight on his shoulders.

And a weight on his mother's as well. Every now and then, she wonders if something bad will happen to him because of it and the fact that she, his mother, can't do anything about it is a frustration.

A painful, painful frustration.

Suddenly, a ringing noise woke her up from her thoughts.

"Tsurara-nee-san!" she heard her Tsukumogami shouting. She turned head a bit and saw them carrying a laptop. "The Commander is calling!"

"Huh?!" her eyes widened and then she jumped back up. "Bring it here!"

The Tsukumogami brought the laptop in front of her and Oryou floated in front of the screen "Telecommunication..." Oryou raised her hands and than clapped with them. "...ON!" after finishing the proclamation, she quickly floated away and Rikuo-sama's face appeared on the screen.

"Yo, Tsurara." Rikuo, in his youkai form, smiled. "Nice hair!"

"Huh?" Tsurara created a mirror from her ice and took a look at her hair. "Waaah! Turn the computer around! Quickly!" she ordered her tsukumogami.

"Come on Tsurara, you are over-reacting." Rikuo was saying from the laptop that was now turned around.

In meantime, Tsurara created an ice comb and fixed her hair. "Oryou, is it alright now?"

"Yes Tsurara-nee-san, your hair is beautiful!" Oryou gave her thumbs-up.

"Good, good!" she nodded. "Turn Rikuo-sama back!"

"Tsurara..." Rikuo sighed after the laptop turned back. "I saw your hair in even more messier states... especially when my hands got into it." He tried to tease her.

However, she decided to completely wipe out this embarrassing event from her memories so she ignored what he just said.

"Ah, Rikuo-sama! I am so happy to see you again!" she knew she acted like an excited schoolgirl rather than a grown up woman, but she found herself not caring much appearances at this moment, especially since it was so long since they last talked... well, it felt long to her. "You know, you could have called earlier." And now she pouted like a schoolgirl.

"Sorry, sorry... I was a little busy." He apologized. "Although I hoped you would have called me as well."

"Well, I couldn't know if you were busy or not you know." she continued pouting. "By the way... ain't it hot with that on? " she asked him.

"With what?" he was confused. "Oh, you mean the scarf?"

Rikuo was wearing a scarf Tsurara hand-made on one of colder winters to keep him warm. For some reason, he continued wearing it all the time, no matter the season.

"I know you said you liked it, but I don't want you to get a heatstroke because of it."

"Come on now... if my Yuki Onna can wear hers on summer, then so can I." he winked to his embarrassed Yuki Onna. "Though I must confess: it is hot... this scarf which you made still has your scent and the feeling of having you hanging on me makes my blood boil!"

"Uwa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa..." Tsurara's face became even redder. "You are being too perverted Rikuo!" she replied.

"This distance between you and me... my desires grow from day to day..." seems he didn't intent to stop teasing her just yet. "Yes, I think the house needs another kid running around and causing a mess." He said while nodding.

"Ri-ri-rikuo, it is still too soon! No actually both Ritsura and Rihan are in high school... no, definitely too soon to be talking about it, especially... but then, I want another little one, Ritsura is already my height and Rihan is even taller than me... AAAGHHH!" she shaked her head left and right. "Are you trying to make me all packy wacky again?!"

"Ha ha, what is packy wacky?" he laughed. "But if you are talking about intentionally embarrassing you in order to see that cuteness of yours, I am guilty as charged."

"Mo, Rikuo-sama!" she started pouting again. "You are making me melt."

"Just like how looking at you all cute is making me melt and I am not even an ice youkai so thats on much higher level." He winked again. "I am missing you and the kids a lot."

"And we miss you too." She composed herself and answered with a smile. "The whole clan does."

"So, how are the kids doing? I mean the current two, we'll discuss the future dozen in the future." He asked. "I see you are on Hebinyoro. Is something going on again?"

"Future DOZEN?!" she started melting again. "You are going waaaay overboooard Rikuo-sama!"

"Well, we do have time and years." He replied, reminding her that they will live long.

"OVEEEEERBOOOOOARD!" she said once more and then composed herself. "Nothing special is going on. Your daughter is fooling around again and the clan is now looking for her in order to bring her home where I'll give her a two hours long lecture." She answered his question.

She decided to leave the thing with Rihan out as she didn't want him to worry and get distracted from his work. It is a necessary evil that a wife and mother sometimes has to commit, as she believed.

"The clan? How much of the clan." he asked with a worried face.

"Everyone who doesn't have urgent business." She replied. "I am REALLY angry today and I have the entire clan on her tail! We already caught and imprisoned some of her Toono alies."

"And you say I am going overboard..." he commented with a sweatdrop.

Tsurara sighed. "It is all your fault. She may look like a Yuki Onna and freeze stuff like one, but she is a Nurarihyon through and through as far as her personality is concerned."

"Is that bad?" he asked with his own rebellious face.

"Oh course not." She answered with a warm smile. "It is just that I like to fool around with her I guess." She said while putting a hand on her cheek. "We won't be able to do that for much longer I fear. Kids grow so fast..."

Rikuo sighed. "And I am here, in the States and unable to play with you guys." His face turned a bit more serious. "On a different note... everything alright down there?"

"Yes, everything is in order Rikuo-sama." She also turned serious and returned to her more formal tone. "Something seemed to have happened in the hotel near the high school, but it seems it is just one of un-affiliated youkai causing a minor mess during some kind of party." She scratched her head. "Guess Hitotsume's ceremony attracted some less wanted attention. But nothing serious."

"Well, you guys keep a watchful eye." Rikuo said. "Actually, check the place again... just in case."

"Yeah, I thought the same. How's it with you? Did you find out anything up there?"

"A little, but nothing certain or what we didn't suspect yet. Once we have collected enough info, I'll have Daruma make a report."

"Well, then I won't steal any more of your time. Good luck Rikuo-sama." She saluted. "Give your best and I'll give my best as well."

"I know you will. You always did." He said with a smile. "Our plane will leave soon so I'll disconnect now."

"A plane? You are going somewhere?"

"Yes, we are crossing to another state. I have found a new lead and I have a good feeling about it."

"Aha!" she said. "Well, say hi to Shouei-san, Natsumi-san and the others."

"I will." He nodded. "Cya Yuki Onna of mine."

"See you Rikuo-sama!" she nodded. "Love you!"

Tsurara sighed as the screen turned black and the Tsukumogami took the laptop away. She wished she could have talked with him longer but then she understood that if she kept getting what she wanted, they would waste time on idle chatting for hours.

Suddenly, her cellphone started ringing. "Who is it now?" She sighed, expecting more duties she must attend to. "Huh? Ritsura?"

And not only was her daughter calling, but her daughter was calling every clan member on duty. Tsurara had a bad feeling that this was not going to be a prank.

After some time, her voice shouted: "Nura clan, we have an emergency!"

)(

The night has already engulfed Tokyo, yet much of it was even more active than during the day. Students who want to spend some time together now that the temperature was more tolerable, workers who are spending their hard earned money, foreign tourists who came to visit the urban capital of Japan... all kinds of humans can be found in the city.

But amongst, below and even beyond, there are other kinds of beings as well: youkai. Even though humans these days are active both day and night, night is still their time.

Some of these youkai enjoy life the way humans do. They fool around with their friends and comrades, enjoy drinks in their bars and even parade in parts where human activity is low.

Others, mainly young urban legends, tend to be more wicked. They bring terror on humans they find, on humans that get lost in their territory or on humans who seek them by their own will.

And then there are youkai that protect those humans unfortunate or foolish enough to get lost.

"Another one down." Rihan said as he returned his sword into its sheath and a youkai disentrigated behind him.

"Is... Is it over?" a businesswoman asked him as she sat on the floor. "Am I safe?" she asked as tears went down her eyes. She found herself getting possessed, brought into a dark alley and then attacked by an urban legend, but he made it in time to save her.

"Yes, it is safe now." Rihan said with a smile. She still looked afraid though, likely because he himself didn't look human at the moment due to his hair defying gravity. Rather than to try to calm her down, he decided to simply leave. "Now go buy yourself some coffee or sake and forget this all happened. Cya!" he said and jumped up onto a balcony, from there to another one then at a top of a semaphore and so on until he reached a nearby park.

"Look who is back: Rihan-sama himself." Said a turtle-like youkai while bathing in a pond. His name was Amezou and he was a member of the Toono Clan as well as a friend of his father and Rihan's sister.

"So how did it go? Did 'ya get a kiss?" asked a grinning ape-like youkai Dohiko who was sitting under a tree, also member of the Toono clan.

Rihan ignored his question. "You know, I am starting to wonder why you two stop and rest whenever I actually find an enemy... any why are you following me around in the first place?"

"Well, we were originally just interested in how strong you are." Dohiko answered. "Your sister often visits Toono so we know about her, but we rarely see you in action."

"You weren't watching right now." Rihan said and sat under the tree opposite to Dohiko. This was a good night for him and he managed to slay three evil urban legends. However, due to it he was a bit exhausted and decided to rest for a bit.

"We saw enough the first two times." Dohiko shrugged. "You killing them so quickly made it into a dull show."

"A show eh... a life was endangered there you know."

"So?" Amezo shrugged. "They are youkai and youkai often kill humans. We'd come to help if you were in danger, but you are above these guy's level."

"Hmh. Not all of them are weak like these three today. I was simply lucky." Rihan decided to not press the issue further. Nura Clan is the only youkai clan whose very Fear is based on protecting others and he learned long ago that other youkai don't care much about youkai attacking or even killing humans.

But truth be said, Rihan was radical even amongst the Nura Clan. He often patrolled the streets of Tokyo, actively looking for violent urban legens and other _wicked_ youkai, slaying them without even a shred of mercy. His father and sister sometimes offer their enemies to change their ways and join the clan, but ever since the Nakano Incident Rihan felt nothing but hatred for such kind of youkai and offered them no such thing.

And, for some reason, he could _feel_ where his _prey_ was so he had much easier time finding them than anyone else did. He didn't need to know where someone may attack, who might attack or who might be attacked... he simply knew when an evil urban legend was nearby.

"By the way Rihan..." Dohiko started asking. "How does that transformation of yours work? Rikuo could only change at the night but I saw you change at the day as well."

"We heard your grandfather had only one form while your sister's form changes depending on temperature." Amezo joined in, also mysteriously interested in the topic. "Do you also change depending on the temperature?"

"Temperature stopped mattering for nee-san ages ago." Ritsura also has two forms between which she used to change, in her case depending on temperature: if it were warm, she was more human and better at using Nurarihyon's techniques while when she got cold, she was more of a Yuki Onna. Even her personality differed, though only on the surface. However, her Fear grew to the point that even in her human form she could control the cold so she now tends to stay in her youkai form most of the time. "As for me, I simply transform whenever I get excited and revert back when I want it."

"Hm Hm, interesting..." Dohiko nodded. "What do you think Amezo? How much will Youbi-san pay for this information?"

"She is very generous these days so I expect she'll pay a lot." Amezo answered and then turned towards Rihan. "Unless you already told her about it, Rihan. Did you tell Fuguruma Youbi about this?"

"No, I didn't. Feel free to make money on my account." Rihan shrugged.

Fuguruma Youbi, who often visits the Nura Clan, is a youkai who calls herself _Youkai World's Official Secretary_ and she collects all kinds of information concerning the youkai world and archives it... and pays well to those who bring her information. Where she gets the funds is anyone's guess.

"Nura-kun?" a female voice called to him.

Rihan recognized the voice. "Mayuri-san?" he looked towards the direction the voice came from and saw the orange haired girl, still wearing her school uniform. "What are you doing here?"

"We were walking not far from here." Mamoru, whom Rihan just now noticed, answered instead of his sister. "I noticed you were close by and we came here."

By _noticed_ he meant that his cellphone alerted him that Rihan's own cellphone was close by. That habbit of his was creepy at first, but Rihan got used to it after some time.

"Is that so?" Rihan replied. He then noticed that Amezo hid under the lake and Dohiko jumped on the tree, obviously trying to hide themselves. "You guys can come out. There is no reason to hide from them."

"Oh, is that so?" Dohiko dropped down from the tree. "Oh, a cute girl!"

"A cute girl you say?!" Amezo jumped out from his hiding as well. "Uuuu..." he then turned towards Rihan. "Is she your..." he asked rising his little finger.

"Nah, he rejected me today." Mayuri answered with a smile.

Rihan could feel cold glares of his two youkai friends and felt as if he could read their minds:

"_You rejected this beautiful hime-sama?!"_ Dohiko's thoughts said in shock.

"_Are you maybe swinging the other way?"_ Amezo's thoughts suggested.

Dohiko than put his hand under his chin as if thinking about something_. "So... do you think she would go out with a handsome youkai like me?"_ he could hear his plan.

"_Don't you already have a crush?" _Rihan answered him in his thoughts. _"I remember nee-san talking about it."_

Dokiho's eyes closed. _"Yeah, but I am not advancing much on that front."_

"_Good point."_ Rihan nodded.

"_Riha-chan, please stop losing yourself in that little world of yours."_ For some reason he imagines Araya speaking. _"Don't make me come there and get you back the hard way."_

"_Yeah, you are embarrassing us all there."_ He could imagine Ritsura supporting her. _"Get the hell back into the real world. Now!"_

"_Fine fine!" _Rihan told to himself and looked back to the Onieda siblings.

"Why is everyone so silent..." Mayuri asked in a confused tone.

"My little sister's romantic life aside..." Mamoru said as he put a hand on his sister's head. "...would you mind escorting her home?"

"Stop in nii-san!" Mayzuri started complaining. "I told you I am fine! I can go by myself!"

"Huh?" Rihan just then noticed that Mayuri was slightly pale and that her eyes looked exhausted. "Did something happen to you Mayuri-san?"

"Nothing happened!" Mayuri screamed. "I was just a little tired and fell asleep!"

"She got a narcoleptic attack." Mamoru gave a more worrying answer. "It happens to her from time to time."

"You have narcolepsy Mayuri?" Rihan was surprised to hear it. He often hang with her, but he doesn't remember her ever getting a narcoleptic attack.

"No I don't!" Mayuri continued complaining. "This happened a few times in past, yes. But doctors proved that I don't have narcolepsy of any kind!"

"Thats even worse as we don't know what it is." Mamoru continued. "Either way, I have no intentions to let you risk getting another attack like that while nobody you know is nearby. You are not going home alone!"

"You have to go somewhere Mamoru-sensei?" Rihan found it all confusing. Onieda's were a wealthy family and they had servants to help them. "Why don't you call for someone to give her a ride home?"

"Well... the traffic is big this night so who knows when a car will come... or when she will come home. So I'd prefer if you guys escorted her. Should something happen again, you can reach our house faster than any car." Mamoru answered. "I am going to see someone about this problem of hers. The person in question will be travelling overseas tomorrow morning so I hope to visit them before it gets late."

"Alright then!" Dohiko rose up and hit his chest. "We'll take care of your sister... what is your family name again?"

"Ah yeah, we didn't introduce ourselves." Amezo jumped into the conversation as well. "He is Dohiko and I am Numagappa Amezou. We are Ayakashi by the way!"

"Glad to meet you." Mamoru and Mayuri bowed. "We are Mamoru and Mayuri of the Onieda family."

""O... Onieda?"" both of them were shocked and went quiet. Rihan noticed that there wa fear on their faces but could not fathom why. "Are you maybe... related to Onieda Masahide?"

_Onieda Masahine..._ Rihan knew that name, but had no idea why youkai would be that shocked to hear it.

"Ah..." Mamoru's face turned serious. Seems he did know why. "You two are from Touhoku or Chubu I presume?" Mamoru removed his glasses and bowed to them. "Yes, Masahide-san is our grandfather... I am sorry for what my grandfather did and I assure you, by no means do we like or support what he did."

"So you are... his relatives..." Dohiko commented with a serious tone and started whispering something to Amezo.

"What is going on?" Rihan rose up and asked. He looked towards Mayuri and saw she was as confused as he was.

"Hmph!" Dohiko started. "Seeing as you are friends with the Nura's, I'll take it you guys are alright." He said though his face still showed displeasure. Rihan didn't know what this all was about, but both of the Toono youkai lost all of their cheerfulness.

"Thank you and, again, we are sorry." Mamoru bowed again and turned towards Rihan. "Please take care of my sister Nura-kun." He asked, bowed again and left the park.

A few moments later, Mayuri started asking: "I am sorry for asking but... what happened between you and-"

"So this is the girl you rejected eh?" Amezo turned back to his cheerful self again and seemingly keen on not letting Mayuri ask her question. "You sure have some high standards, Rihan..."

"Ha, she may be an Onieda, but her face is alright." Dohiko also tried being more cheerful as well. "What was the problem anyway? Is there a cuter girl around?"

"Look guys, I just-" Rihan started but was cut off by Mayuri.

"Hooo... Who knows, someone took photos of him naked in a bedroom." She said with a naughty smile.

""OOOOOOOOOHHHHH!"" the two youkai looked at him in amazement.

"Come on now Mayuri-san, you know it was just Araya's prank." Rihan staunchly defended his honor.

"I only know about rumors and claims." She answered. "N... Not that I care much." She said, although she was obviosuly still a little bitter.

"Hmh! Hmh!" Dohiko started nodding. "A magnet for women, just like your father."

"So, shall we go and find this Araya as well?" Amezo asked his ape-like friend. "More cute girls there are, the better."

"I seriously suggest you not to." Rihan said with a serious tone. "For your own safety, forget all about her."

"Yes..." Mayuri joined in. "I don't like talking bad about others, but Araya-san can be... dangerous for one's mental and spiritual self."

"Yeah, many don't come out the same after meeting her." Rihan continued. "She is alright as your immunity system gets used to her, but even so she can be tough to deal with."

"Woah... now I am REALLY interested." Dohiko looked intrigued. "Amezo, lets go and find her."

"Weren't you listening to us?" Rihan continued with to fool around. "She is fearsome."

"Little Nura please... we are Toono!" Amezo punched his chest. "It needs more than a simple human to impress us!"

"Hoo... well, good luck the-"

Sound of a cellphone ringing in Mayuri's pocket cut him off.

"I wonder who might this be..." Mayuri took out her cell and touched the screen. "Ritsura-san?"

"MAYURI, WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER!?" Ritsura's loud voice came out from Mayuri's cellphone. She sounded as if she were panicking. "I called him, but I can't get him to answer!" her voice quited down but Rihan's ears could still hear it.

"He... he was with me a moment... few minutes ago..." Mayuri said with a voice that showed she herself started being afraid. Anyone would get startled by such a sudden call. "What is going on Ritsura-san?"

"Dammit... can you go and find him?" Ritsura requested.

"Nee-san, what is going on?" Rihan walked to the cellphone and asked.

"You there a well?" Ritsura started. "Ah, forget about that! Mayuri, Onieda Masato is your father right?"

"Yes... what is going on Ritsura-san?" Mayuri asked again. "Why... are you mentioning my father."

"Stay calm now Mayuri-san... We have reason to believe that some youkai will try to... attack him."

"What... what are you..." Mayuri's face turned pale and her cellphone fell from her hand.

"WATCH IT!" Rihan shouted and caught it before it fell on the ground. "Alright nee-san! I don't know why you need him, but we will look for Mamoru-sensei. He couldn't have gone far away."

"Let Mayuri-san look for him!" Ritsura ordered. "You look for Masato who will be driving through Tokyo, maybe on his way to visit Mayuri's and Mamoru-sensei's house. I don't think I need to say that you should prepare for a fight."

"Alright nee-san." Rihan answered. "I'll hang up now." He said and hanged up not waiting for Ritsura's farewells. After all, they are in a hurry.

"D...d...dad will be..." Mayuri started muttering and then turned around and started running. "DADDDD!"

"Damn it... she started panicking." He turned towards the Toono pair. "I don't know what happened between you and Onieda's but..."

"I'll go look for the glasses guy!" Amezo didn't wait for Rihan to finish and immediately chose a task. "Dohiko?"

"Ahh... I don't like the man but I'll help!" Dohiko clenched his fists. "I'll go with them. No youkai should be foolish enough to attack Masahide's son after what happened, so they are likely to be strong. I'll give you a helping hand Rihan."

"Thank you guys." Rihan smiled and turned around to run after Mayuri. "Alright, let the hunt begin!"

)(

Ritsura was sitting on terrace of a closed caffe, with two cellphones on the table and one in her hand. Also, some of smaller youkai were running around her, trying to think of a way to be useful to her and the rest of the clan.

"Any progress, Saaya-chan?" Ritsura asked. One of the cellphones on the table were connected to Saaya while the other one was used for contacting the clan members. Since she was finished explaining the situation to her youkai comrades, it was now turned off.

"It is going slower than I'd like. And unless you get me those camera's, I won't make it in time! Did you manage to contact Mamoru-sensei?" Kiyotsugu Saaya was highly skilled in IT technology, taught by her father (who used those skills to help the Nura clan when needed), she regularly used those skills to collect info for her Newspapers Club. Knowing where might be traveling through, she could no doubt quickly find Onieda Masato's location in Tokyo if she had resources like City's Road Surveillance, which Japanese governments recently implemented for various safety reasons, at her disposal. However, the protection of those systems were above her hacking skills... but not beyond Mamoru's.

"No, seems like he turned off his cell or it got out of energy. We got Mayuri but she has no idea where he has gone." Ritsura replied, trying to make another call. It was a dark irony that she couldn't contact him now that his father's life may depend on him.

"Well, call someone else then!" Saaya shouted. "You are yakuza aren't you? Shouldn't you have some connections besides me and Mamoru-sensei?"

"We lost them because the current victim just had to enforce that damn Plan!" The Onieda family did a lot things for Japan, one being Onieda Masato's (unfortunately quite efficient) plan to improve the Internet security... which conveniently left all but best of hackers without their hobbies and while both Nura and Kiyotsugu families had good hackers, none were good enough to hack into better protected systems like the City Surveilances. Ironically, due to that Onieda Masato's very life was endangered.

"No choice then, guess I'll need to deepen my debt to _that_ person." Ritsura said with a sigh and dialed another number. There was one connection that, somehow, had an answer to any issue.

Ritsura got worried because for some time nobody was answering. However...

"Yeah, what is it?" Araya asked in a frustrated tone. "I am kinda busy at the moment."

"This is important enough that I don't care about your business, Ichinoe-san." Ritsura answered. "You are getting the honor of helping us save Onieda Masato from an assassination."

"...you have to be kidding me..." Araya replied in a not-so-excited voice, which surprised Ritsura as Araya tends to be easily excited, especially when the situation looks dangerous. "I mean, who is trying to kill HIM?"

"Some person called Shiori it seems." Ritsura says. "Or Shiori told the world he will be attacked. No matter, someone is attacking him."

Araya stayed silent for a few moments and than said in her trademark tone: "Heee, sounds interesting... and just how could I help the mighty Nura Clan?"

"We need Saaya to get access to that Road Surveillance System so we could find him."

"And just how do I fit into all that?" Araya asked.

"You don't seem to motivated or you'd have realized it by now." Ritsura started to feel frustrated as time was of the essence.

"Sorry for being a lowly human rather than a mighty youkai like you." Araya said in a sarcastic tone. She really didn't seem keen on the idea to join this fight. "Next thing I know, scary youkai will be knocking on my doorstep."

"Come on now, nobody would attack a friend of our clan. Also, we are trying to save the mighty Onieda Masato... Mamoru's and Mayuri's father."

Araya stayed silent for some time, thinking about risks and helping her friends Ritsura presumed. "It is Onieda Masato, I can't afford to be stubborn here I guess..." Araya mumbled silently. "Alright! You need someone to hack into that system, no? Just give me access to your clan's and Kiyotsugu's network and I'll have some... _friends_ be done with it in few minutes!"

"Perfect!" Ritsura replied. "You have Saaya's number so you and your friends communicate with her about it. I'll be busy with other stuff... oh, and what business were you on anyway?"

"Family business. Can't avoid it, seeing as I am the family's head" Araya said. "Bye and... good luck I guess?" she said and ended the call before Ritsura could ask anything more. She remembered Araya mention she is the head of the family once, but Ritsura thought she was joking... granted, she wasn't sure if she were or were not joking now either.

But those thoughts can wait for later. Now, it was time to focus on current issue.

"Ah, there you are!" her mother's voice foretold that she won't be bored while she waits for Saaya to be done. A moment later, her mother Tsurara fell from the sky, no doubt by jumping from Hebinyoro. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Leading a rescue operation?" Ritsura answered in an annoyed tone. She hoped nobody would find time to object to what she was doing, but of course she was not that lucky.

Tsurara sighed. "Listen Ritsura, I am the one that-"

Next moment, she went silent and both she and her daughter created ice bats and hit the person that tried to sneak up to them.

Itaku Kamaitachi fell on the ground, holding his nose. "Good to see that you are still keeping your guard up no matter what... unlike Rikuo." He said, in his usual tone and with a bloodied poker face.

"Father just doesn't want to bother with it so he lets you get your way." Ritsura objected to his claims.

"Yeah right." Itaku rose up. "I see you are still spoiling her Tsurara-san."

"Not that again Itaku-san..." Tsurara sighed. "There is no reason to let her needlessly fool around and risk her health when the clan has enough people to take care of it."

"Rikuo was five years younger than her when he waged war against the Kyoto Youkai and the Hyakku Monogatari." Itaku replied and Ritsura nodded.

"He was _forced_ to take up those duties." Tsurara complained. "Had Rihan-sama been alive, he would have also kept him from the conflicts."

"Like how Nurarihyon did?" Itaku smirked. "Had Rikuo not been spoiled, the Nue would not have been revived in the first place and less would have needed to die."

"Yeah mom, listen to what Itaku says." Ritsura said with a nod.

"It is Itaku-san, Ritsura." Tsurara scolded her.

"Itaku is a Toono youkai, I am a granddaughter of a Toono youkai and in Toono, we speak like that." She said with a rised finger.

"Indeed." Itaku nodded in agreement. "You should learn some Toono manners from her, Tsurara."

"Ughhh... the two of you" Tsurara pur a hand on her forehead.

"Anyway, pampering can just hurt her and will put her life in danger later on." Itaku continued. "Also, I am not having an impression that things will stay peaceful for long. Peace and war require the mother to make a different-"

"Alright, alright Mr. Toono, I get it." Tsurara started to feel annoyed by him so she cut him off. Then she turned to her daughter. "So? What were you doing sitting here in the first place."

"Waiting for Aotabou." Ritsura answered with a smile. She was very much pleased to see her mother giving in.

"Aotabou?" Tsurara was confused. "Why are you waiting for-"

Loud noises and lights of a dozen motorbikes cut her off.

"Ah, here they are!" Ritsura jumped from her seat and ran to the road.

A moment later, Aotabu and his gang came. For some reason, Aotabou was holding a bike in his left arm. "Here is your bike Waka!" he said, not aware of the danger nearby.

"_Her_ bike?!" Tsurara was not entertained. "What do you mean by _her_ bike?!"

"Ugh... the elder Yuki Onna is here..." Aotabou went pale.

"What do you mean with _her_ bike Ao?!" Tsurara asked again, freezing the air around.

"Eh... you see... this..." Aotabou became even paler. Tsurara was always rough on him, but even more so when she thought he was playing too much into Ritsura's hands.

"It is what you heard mom." Ritsura answered instead of him. "It is _my_ bike." She said as she jumped on it. "I am a delinquent girl mom. I need this for my image." She said as if it was a completely normal thing to do.

"YOUR BIKE?!" the air became even colder. "Where did you get that... and who taught you how to drive it in the first place?!"

The moment she finished the question, Aotabou turned on his bike in an attempt to flee.

"NO YOU AIN'T!" Tsurara hit the ground with her feet and think ice enveloped both his bike and his legs. "Are you responsible for all of this?!" she asked with a face of a killer.

"I-I-I-I... she made me teach her!"

"And you accepted..." the now evil Yuki Onna said. "...and you try to blame it on my daughter... Aotabou you..."

"Eeeeeekk!" Ao turned to Ritsura for help.

"Now now mom, it is my fault as he said."

"As for you little lady... YOU AIN'T GOING ANYWHERE ON A BIKE!" Tsurara now turned to her. "Feet yes! Hebinyoro yes! Taxi yes! Slave Aotabou yes! BIKE NO!"

"This is no time to fool around mom..." Ritsura said as she replaced her kimono with her school uniform which was a bit more comfortable for driving a bike. "We can leave this argument for later, but for now this is the best method for reaching Onieda-san."

"Hebinyoro is safer and can fly!" Tsurara didn't want to give up.

"It is also easier to shoot down a flying snake than a fast bike in an urban city that is surrounded by various obstacles." Ritsura took out her cell and typed in a number. "Saaya, how is it going?"

"Hey, don't ignore me like that..." Tsurara complained, silently.

"Good timing!" Kiyotsugu's daughter replied. "We found the car and will keep sending you the coordinates of its moving."

"Is Onieda Masato in the car? He didn't leave it or anything?" Ritsura asked.

"The camera's saw him so unless he has a clone, he is in the driver's seat."

"Driver's seat? Why would someone wealthy and influential like him be driving himself?"

"He is simply that kind of person that trusts more in himself than others. So you get him driving his own subordinates around, sometimes even in a limo."

"Well, whatever." Ritsura sighed. "Thank you Saaya, we'll be on our way then. Please, send the info to the rest of the clan as well."

"_Be it as it may..."_

A deep female voice suddenly cut in. Ritsura and the others looked around but couldn't find anyone. However, thbe only thing they noticed was silence: even semaphored stopped beeping.

"_...I see you found my target so lets start the game..."_

The female voice seems to be coming from everywhere: cellphones, public speakers, radio's in the parked cars...

"You are Shiori, aren't you?" Ritsura asked. "How long have you been spying on us."

"_Fufufufu..."_ the voice giggled. _"Long enough. Anyway,I said: now that all players are prepared, lets start the game!"_

"Game eh... this sure is nostalgic." Aotabou said as Tsurara's ice freed him and his bike.

"_The rules are as follows: Nura Clan has to save Onieda Masato, my Hyakku Monogatari has to kill him. Seeing as there are no other rules... 5... 4..."_

"She is not taking this seriously, is she?" Ritsura commented. She found this whole behavior of hers bizarre.

"_...3..."_

"She is... Hyakku Monogatari was originally a game so this is part of their Fear." Her mother said. "And I see she even has personality fitting to those people."

"_...2..."_

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Ritsura said as she turned on the bike.

"_...1...START!"_

Suddenly, something jumped from top of a skyscraper onto the street. As the dust cleared, they could recognize a five meter tall youkai with a the head of a bulldog and arms of a gorilla.

"If the girls kiss me, imma let ya go." He said with his tongue slipping out. Ritsura heard about him: he was the kind of youkai that asked women a perverted question and if you scream or reject his offer, he tries to kill you.

""Hell no!"" the Yuki Onna's replied in unison.

"WRAAAAGH WHYYYYYYY?!" he started yelling and jumping around. If tales are true, he does that for some time in order to give his victims a chance of escaping thus turning it into a hunting game. Of course, his enemy won't be trying to escape from him this time.

"Ritsura, Ao... you guys go on!" Tsurara shouted. "Me and Itaku-san will keep him away!"

Ritsura starred for a few moments and then nodded. "Alright! Be careful mom!"

"And you drive carefully." She then threw a menacing look at Aotabou. "She better return without a scratch Ao..."

"Y...yes!" Aotabou answered. As big as he was, Momma Tsurara freaked him out.

"ALRIGHT, LETS GO GUYS!" Ritsura said and after few moments, they drove of.

"A big guy... he doesn't regenerate, does he?" Itaku asked as he took his weapons out.

"I think not... either way, he should be a piece of cake compared to _that guy_." Tsurara said with a smile as she created a weapon from ice.

"You seem pleased." Itaku asked as he prepared to jump on his nemesis. "Are you excited for the fight or are you actually proud your daughter will do something productive?"

"Who knows?" Tsurara said with a smile.

* * *

Ritsura and Aotabou rode through the streets while listening to the cellphones. and since all cellphones used the same channel, it was hard to recognize words due to commotion.

"Gahhh!" Aotabou screamed. "Calm down guys! I can't hear anything!"

"We can hear enough: most of our clan members were attacked." Ritsura commented. "Damn that Shiori surprised us... how the hell did she know that we would try to save Masato in the first place?"

"Maybe there is a spy in our ranks..." Aotabou offered.

"Ugh... lets hope she just used cameras or something... she did use the technology for talking after all, even the ones that were supposed to be turned off."

"Lets think about it later, waka." Aotabou said. "I can feel someone's Fear coming after us..."

A moment later, an explosion of light occurred and a golden bike whose biker held a shotgun appeared behind them.

"Garh!" Ritsura yelled. "Half an hour ago I munched an apple and annoyed Saaya. Now, I am in middle of a full scale battle between two Hyaki Yakou's!"

"Exciting, isn't it?!" Aotabou yelled.

"Yes... and worrisome." Ritsura commented. "It means we have enemies ready for war again..."

* * *

And after a big delay, fifth chapter is finally here. Luckily for ya all, it ain't as big as ch4 :P

- a new character got introduced: Kiyotsugu Saaya. I think it is not that hard to guess who them other is (shame I wasn't able to find a good opportunity to mention it). Originally, I planned to introduce this character later on but changed my mind

- and another villain got introduced: Shiori who is, as Saaya and Ritsura suspect, part of the HM. Although she was the last villain introduced, she is (alongside Ritsura) the first character I created. And while her name was mentioned only now, she was actually mentioned before (name not revealed because I didn't come up with a fitting one at the time :P)

- and we also got a RikuTsura conversation. It is a bit frustrating that first 6 chapters are happening during the same day as Rikuo doesn't get a chance to get his own screentime. Bad planning from my part, I know...

- Rihan got an opportunity to show some of his "Vigilante" side. That stance of his and his ruthless approach to dealing with enemies can be expected, though are more important for the plot than it initially seems like

- Ritsura also got to show some of her serious side as well. Although she has a short temper, she knows when she must calm down and call the clan and lead them in taking care of menace that just arose

- and just where did Mamoru disappear to...

- next chapie will be the first action-packed chapter of the fic. Lets hope I am up to it ;P

**All in all, thank you guys for reading and I hope you review after reading. **

**So, 'till next chapter is out, cya!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer 1:** I don't own Nurarihyon no Mago... else I wouldn't be posting this on Fanfiction now would I :P

**Disclaimer 2:** In case someone by some miracle doesn't know it, Nurarihyon no Mago is owned by Shiibashi Hiroshi-sensei and the Shueisha which publishes his works. Be a nice youkai and buy his volumes if you can, will you?

**Disclaimer 3:** If a character from here doesn't appear in the manga, it is likely my property.. _my precioussss..._

**Disclaimer 4:** Rest assured that I won't post these disclaimers in the future so you don't need to finish writing that hatemail, 'kay?

**Disclaimer 5:** Lets face it, 5 is a nicer number to end a list than some lousy number like 4

* * *

Two figures faced one another in an otherwise empty backstreet of Tokyo.

"Hmph! They are cowards, all of them..." the youkai Hitotsume Nyudo started saying while smoking his pipe. "Swords, claws, fangs... all weapons for the craven. You get what I mean?"

Hitotsume Nyudo was celebrating his ascension in human society by enjoying a meal in a luxurious restaurant with his most loyal subjects and closest associates when suddenly Ritsura-ojou-sama ordered the Nura Clan to assemble. Normally, he would have ignored her now that he has become a big-shoot in human world and thus no longer required to deal with the lowly youkai world, but after hearing the details about the mission he decided it might be helpful for his reputation if he ended up saving Onieda Masato's life.

So he ran from the restaurant, leaving his comrades behind. No, he didn't inform them about the mission: the less rivals there are, the bigger the chances he saves Onieda Masato himself. A decision he came to regret when he found out that Masato was targeted by a Hyaki Yakou and that they attacked the members of the Nura Clan.

Luckily, he managed to sneak past most of the enemies, but then he got attacked by the person he is now facing.

The person standing around fifteen meters away from him was wearing an old-fashioned brown hat and a long brown coat. His head was fully enveloped in aged bandages, hiding both his eyes and nose and mouth. Same kind of bandages were on his hands, both of whom held revolvers.

And Hitotsume was pleased to finally meet an enemy fighting with pistols, just like he used to.

"Silent, eh? Of course, you understand what I mean so there is no point in wasting your breath." Hitotsume, still in his suit and tie that he was wearing at school, nodded. "They have guts to call guns a coward's weapon while being afraid of it being pointed at them. Cowards, ha! You and me, we face guns with pride and courage, don't we? Obviously, we are the braver ones."

"..."

"No, not bravery... the idea of a true gun duel EXCITES us." Hitotsume left his smoking pipe in his mouth as he took out two guns from the 16th century. "Yes... I don't even remember when it was the last time I had a proper duel. It makes one's blood boil doesn't it?"

"...can we just get on with it?"

"Heh, of course we can..." Hitotsume suddenly went quiet.

"Fuuu... what is it now?"

"I forgot..." Hitotsume started sweating. "Ojou-sama didn't allow me to take loaded guns into the school so..." Hitotsume clapped his hands as if asking for a favor. "Would you mind lending me some ammo... or a loaded gun?"

"Sure, you can have my ammo."

"Oh really, I didn't think you wou-"

"Here, catch." The enemy raised his guns and started firing bullets at Hitotsume.

"Gyaaaah!" Hitotsume screamed as he took cover behind a container. "Come on, shouldn't you give me a fighting cha-"

The next moment, Hitotsume noticed something appear beside him.

His reactions was instant. "Ha, fooled you!" he shouted and shot... a trashbag. "What the..."

"One of the heads of the Nura clan being that stupid to come into battle unprepared... I won't fall for something as ridiculous as that." The opponent said in a calm tone.

"Tz." Hitotsume smirked. "Well, guess we'll have to do this the usual cowboy way."

**()()(****)()()(****)()()**

_Head of a bulldog_

_Arms of a gorilla_

_Five meters tall_

_A lady he asks_

_To kiss his slimy mouth_

_If a scream comes_

_Madness of disappointment_

_And half an hour long hunt _

_Perversion or Hunger_

_One may get satisfied_

_Else his luck is stolen_

_They say a new youkai has appeared and that he hunts the urban streets of Japan. A five meters tall, bulky youkai with a head of a bulldog and arms of a gorilla, he targets women asking for a kiss. _

_If he gets one, he rewards her with a wish. _

_If the victim screams or rejects him, he becomes hostile but gives his prey enough time to you don't get caught for half an hour, he gives up and they say good fortune will follow you for an entire year._

~ _The hundred tales of Tokyo_

* * *

The bulldog-like youkai finally stopped with his tantrum and went into offensive, with Tsurara as his target.

Although a large monster was running towards her, Tsurara stayed calm. "I can't feel any decent amount of fear coming from you." She crossed her arms and smirked. "This will be a short fight."

She didn't even have time to start reciting when her _ally_ kicked her into a closed store on the other end of the street.

"What was that for, Itaku?! Why are you destroying my cool scene?" she asked Itaku who jumped over the enemy youkai and tied him with his ropes.

"This is a good training opportunity." He said, landing close to her. Then he threw his scythe into a store and took out a boxed pair of kitchen knives. "I'll use these two small kitchen knives while you use whatever weapon you want. But only that weapon, none of those fancy spells."

"...huh?" Tsurara was dumbfounded by suggestion. "We are having a life and death situation here and you are talking about training?!"

"Every fight is a training." He tried to sound cool but the image of him taking out pink kitchen knives lessened the _cool effect_ considerably. "Or are you afraid that you would lose against this weakling?"

"No, I-"

"Or has peace made you into a craven sloth?" he asked with a menacing glare.

"Hey, I am not a-"

"Your husband would never reject this. Do you want to disappoint your husband? Do you Tsurara?" his eyes took their animalistic shape.

"Awawawawa ALRIGHT I'LL DO IT! I'll follow your stupid rules!" she said and created an ice spear.

"They are not stupid rules." He seemed insulted.

"Sorry Itaku-san, but it is. I wouldn't even be surprised if you took a chef's hat and an apron and forced yourself to get out of the fight without dirtying the apron and losing the hat."

Itaku suddenly turned into stone, with a surprised look on his face.

"...what?" she felt worried.

"You sure do have a knack for this Tsurara." He turned to look into the store.

"Wait, you don't really intend to..." next moment, an image of Iron Chef Itaku appeared in her imagination. And then she rated the chances of him winning like that...

"Ah, seems they do sell those." He said and made a step towards the store. "Wait a moment, I'll be right-"

Tsurara put a hand on his shoulder. "Itaku-san..."

"What is it?" He then made the same horrified face as Ao does when she gets angry at him due to messing with her daughter. "Tsurara? Is something wrong?" he broke his own character by making an awkward smile.

"My sweet daughter just rode into danger. My little son will likely also participate. If you go too far, we lose and they get hurt due to it..." Tsurara smiled. "There will be a frozen hell to pay..."

"Yyyyyou are completely right, Tsurara-chan." He started apologizing with his out-of-character grimace on, even going as far to talk in a more respecting manner. "Lets not get too far heh heh..."

"Good... and it seems he is ready to attack again." She sighed. "Mo, I should have finished him while he was still tied up. You Toono guys are just so..."

"So it is true that she turns into a horrifying woman when her kids are in question..." he whispered to himself.

"Did you say something?"

"Just talking to myself. Anyway, lets not waste any more time! Lets go!"

"Right." She agreed and ran after him.

As she thought of having to fight that youkai without using her stronger techniques, her grip on the spear hardened. The enemy didn't seem nearly as harmless now that she had to fight him like this.

_Rikuo-sama, seems your friend was right: I do need to practice my other skills if I want to be a wife worthy of you!_

"Here it comes!" Itaku said as he got close to the enemy. "These are weak weapons, but as long as we hit fatal points we will win!"

"Hai!"

"I predict that he will try to punch me with one of those bulky arms of his." Itaku continued telling his plan. "When he does, I'll dodge and cut through his arm. You use the situation and find another point to wound."

"Hai!" Tsurara said again, planning to hit him in the abondmen or, if possible, his neck.

"YOU ARE A..." the youkai said as he rose his arm.

"Here it comes. Tsurara, prepare yoursel-"

"...NUISANCE!" the youkai swinged his left arm side-ways, which is close to what Itaku predicted. However, it was faster than they anticipated and Itaku was thrown all the way into the upper half of a distant skyscraper. "Now we are alone, sweety! Hi hi hi!"

"Geh..." Tsurara felt awkward, both because her ally has been taken care of and due to his remarks. "Don't worry Rikuo-sama, I won't let this pervert-KYAAH!"

He tried to grab her but, due to already having witnessed his speed, she dodged it by jumping just before he caught her.

While still in the air, she threw her spear into his arm. However, it didn't pierce and fell onto the ground.

_Guess his skin is tougher than a human's._ She analyzed the situation as she created a new spear.

"Why do you keep rejecting me?!" he shouted and tried grabbing her with both arms, which she dodged by jumping backwards. "Waaah!" he screamed and his attempts to grab her continued, all of which she dodged.

_He is too quick... I can't reach him like this._ She looked towards the skyscraper. Although the hit must have hurt him, Tsurara was sure he was alright. _Itaku-san, I hope you hurry back down and help! _It looked like dodging 'till help arrives was all she could do for the time being.

But suddenly, the youkai fell into another tantrum. "ARGGGHHHHH! WHY DO YOU KEEP REJECTING ME, PRINCESS?!" he shouted as he jumped around, swinging his arms in all directions. Tsurara had to give her best to not lose her footing. "I WILL EAT YOU THEN! I WILL TEAR YOU APART AND DEVOUR YOU! ARGHHHHH!"

Tsurara could feel his Fear growing with each moment and realized he was turning into a bigger threat. _Sorry Itaku-san, but this is no longer a game!_ She crossed her arms. "O kin housed in my body! Welcome our guest with a-"

"GRAAAHH!" the youkai screamed and jumped at her, forcing her to stop her attack and turn back to dodging.

He was no longer trying to grab her without harming her. He was now trying to pummel her, constantly moving his arms destroying the street.

_I need to widen the gap between us if I want to freeze him properly!_

And to widen the gap, she needed assistance. "Hebinyoro!" she shouted and the Nura Clan's flying snake approached her. Tsurara jumped on it without wasting time. "Quickly, fly up!"

"GAAARH!" the enemy tried to grab them both but they managed to get away at the last moment.

"Alright, this should do it." She crossed her arms again. "O kin housed in my body! Welcome our guest with a chill! Fuusei Kakurei!"

Tsurara released one of her stronger attacks, hoping to freeze the enemy.

Next what she saw was a car's downside followed with the feelings of pain from being hit by it.

"Hebinyoro!" she yelled, worried about her comrade who was also hit with it. She saw him falling but, remembering the danger she faced, she turned around and made another ice spear.

She saw the giant palm going towards her and she instinctively trusted her spear into it.

"GUAAAHH!" the spear pierced into his palm, stopping it's movement.

However, she didn't have good fortune to land on her feet. Instead, she fell onto her back and pain from falling from such height stormed through her body. Had she been a human, she would have been dead now.

She couldn't afford the luxury of resting so she tried to get back up. It was too late and the youkai's hand finally caught her.

"Ki ki ki ki..." the bulldog head giggled as he raised her up. "You suure are cold, ain't ya? Mmmm, I always wanted to try eatin' ice cream..."

**********()()(****)()()(****)()()**  


_Just how did we manage to get ourselves HERE? _Hitotsume wondered while standing atop the bullet train, facing the opposite direction of the train.

His nemesis was also atop the same train, facing him.

The two of them spent a good amount of time running around the streets of Tokyo and trying to shoot one another. One thing led to another, and now are they here.

Hitotsume didn't suffer any serious wounds but he was exhausted from all the battling while running around. In the end, even youkai have their limits. Still, he was more irritated about his expensive, new suit getting dirty.

The enemy wasn't showing signs of exhaustion, but unlike Hitotsume he suffered a number of wounds and no doubt the good humans will be shocked to find countless bloodstains on the top of the train.

For few moments, they simply continued looking at one another, simply because they both needed to take a break. Then, the enemy started running towards Hitotsume.

"Tz, you sure are an enduring fellow." Hitotsume commented as he started shooting with his guns.

The enemy dodged most of the bullets, but got hit by few others into his right arm and left leg. And unlike Hitotsume, he didn't fire his bullets.

"Heh, just come closer... you'll make it easier for me to WHAT THE..."

While Hitotsume was talking and shooting, the enemy youkai took out an ignited dynamite and threw it towards Hitotsume.

"Hey, thats cheating!" Hitotsume shouted and dodged the explosion by moving a few steps backwards. Due to the train moving at high speed, the dynamite wasn't even a real threat.

But the enemy didn't seem interested in harming him. instead, he ran past him.

"You bastard..." Hitotsume quickly turned around but the force of the moving train hit him hard into his huge eye. "Gyaah!" and then he felt an ankle hit him below his chin.

_You bastard... you want to throw me down do you?_ At the last moment, Hitotsume cauught his enemy's ankle. _Well, then fall down with me!_

And fall they did. Luckily, Hitotsume suffered worse wounds in the past so this didn't hurt much. He was preparing himself for another round when his enemy announced:

"Mission accomplished."

"Huh?" Hitotsume asked, ignoring the excitement of the nearby humans, most of whom thought this was some kind of show. "What do you mean? I am still alive!"

"I only kill under the conditions set my tale." The enemy youkai said as he put his pistols back into his pockets. "Hahaue ordered us to delay you guys and we are far enough that you at least won't be able to interfere with our plans."

"You bastard... is that why I haven't suffered any wounds?" Hitotsume was enraged. He valued his life, but he couldn't stand being dishonored like this. He raised his guns at him again. "You dishonored our fight! I won't let you walk away just like that!"

"I won't fight." He told him. "Or is killing an unarmed person your definition of honor?" the humans, still believing this was all just a show, nodded in agreement.

"Keh..." Hitotsume lowered his weapons. "I won't let this go unpunished..."

"It is your fault you got lured by me." The enemy turned his back to Hitotsume. "If you want to fight me, learn my tale and seek me out. Just then will we have a true battle of fears."

As he finished his sentence, he started running towards an advertising monitor. He jumped into it and disappeared as if he jumped through a house's window.

The humans were in awe of the quality of the show while Hitotsume was frustrated.

_Damn right I'll find you bastard._ He started looking around the street, contemplating his next action._ But I won't accept your victory just yet!_

******()()(****)()()(****)()()**

The bulldog-headed youkai opened his mouth, with sole intention of eating the prey he just caught.

The stench coming from it was unbearable, but Tsurara, who was whispering so he couldn't hear her, endured it. Just before he threw her into his wide-open mouth, she made her attack.

"Fuusei Kakurei!" she released an ice attack right into his mouth, forcing him to scream and releasing the grip on her.

"WGAAAAAHH!" he yelled as he ran backwards, holding his hands on his throat.

"Good one, I was already afraid you were done for." She could hear Itaku's voice. Next moment, Itaku appeared next to her, still holding his pink knives. "His punch was sure something."

"Itaku-san!" she was happy to see a friendly face. But she couldn't afford to celebrate "Be careful, he ain't mindless as he looks."

"Don't worry..." Itaku replied as Fear started gathering around him and his pupils narrowed. "No amount of wit will save him from me now."

Next moment, he threw his two knives at the enemy, piercing through both of his legs.

However, his attacks didnt stop yet: Tsurara noticed that he was carrying a dozen of kitchen knives. "I got them from the apartment I was thrown into." He explained and then, one after another, he threw them at the enemy, piercing him on every part of his body.

"KRAAAAAHH!" the enemy yelled in agony.

"I am still not done!" he said as he took up two butcher's knives, both of which were tied with ropes. He imbued them with even more fear than the ones before. "Now THIS will hurt you." Itaku started spinning them around and then threw them at the enemy, making them rotate the same way as his trademark scythes.

While the kitchen knives just pierced him, the butcher's knives went through him, taking out a good chunk of his meat.

"GAAAAH!" the enemy yelled. "The hunt is over! I have to fleeeeeee!" he knelled down and jumped high into the air towards a skyscraper. With his usual speed, he continued climbing up.

"You aren't getting away just yet!" Itaku shouted and used his ropes to get the butcher's knives back into his hands. Then he used them to start climbing the skyscraper himself.

Although Itaku was winning, Tsurara felt like the danger was not over just yet. "I have to go after them... but how?"

While she contemplated about it, someone patted her back.

"Kya!" she quickly turned around. "Hebinyoro! You are alright!" she was happy to see that her comrade only suffered a few scars after being hit by a car.

Hebynyoro seemed unusually angry however and looked towards the skyscraper. He then put his head down. "Ah, you want to go after him? Good, lets go!"

Tsurara jumped onto him and they floated upwards.

She saw the enemy youkai successfully reach the top, with Itaku not being far behind him.

"Hebinyoro, hurry up." Tsurara ordered while creating a giant ice maul in her hands. She'll take care her next attack is the final one.

Hebinyoro and Tsurara passed by Itaku, who was now a few meters away from reaching the top, and she was now facing down towards the enemy, intending to jump and finish him. However, what she saw made her change her plans.

"Itaku, jump aside!"

Next moment, the giant youkai hit the edge of the building, crushing a good part of it into pieces. Due to debris and smoke, Tsurara was unable to see if Itaku dodged it.

She immediately looked towards the enemy and he looked up to her. But his earlier aggressiveness was now replaced with fear and he started running away, jumping to another skyscraper.

"Are you kidding me... just how much can he jump?" Tsurara stood in awe.

"I heard certain rumors soon after we came to Tokyo." Itaku said as he reached the top of the building. Although there was blood on his head, he seemed to be fine. "Humans and youkai talked about seeing an enormous youkai jumping around the urban areas as if he were a monkey in the jungle. They must have talked about him... but enough of it, lets go and finish him." Itaku then jumped on Hebinyoro.

"Hai! Hebinyoro, after him!"

"Hisss!" Hebinyoro replied and floated forwards him with more speed than usual.

After few more jumps, the youkai stopped. Standing on the edge of a skyscraper, he turned towards his pursuers.

"Are you surrendering?" Tsurara asked.

"Move away!" he demanded. "Move away or I'll squash those ants below, be it with my fist or with my dying body!"

"What are you..." Tsurara started and then noticed great many humans walking below. _Wait... why are humans down there... no,thats wrong... something else is weird here..._

"What should we do?" Itaku's ords brought her back from her thoughts. "I'd like to kill him here and now, but this is the Nura Clan's problem."

"Ah... right." While Rikuo is absent, she is the acting leader of the clan. She will have to leave her worries for later.

She faced the youkai. It was true what he said: if he falls down from here, this five meters tall monsters will take a few of the human lives with him. If he falls while alive, the number of casualties will be bigger.

After few moments of thinking, Tsurara opened her mouth. "You have attacked the wife of the Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan and your group has attacked ours. I can't let you walk away freely." She strengthened the grip on her icy maul. "I ask again: will you surrender?"

"NO!" he yelled. "Either I go, or humans die!"

"Is that so..." she turned towards Itaku and tapped on his rope. Then she turned back to the enemy youkai. "By Rikuo-sama's orders, every enemy of the humans is the enemy of the Nura Clan. If you are rejecting our offer to surrender, you don't leave me much choice."

The next moment, she jumped at him with her maul. He tried to block it with his arm, but the maul's strike froze his arms and then broke them into pieces, pushing him over the edge with Tsurara.

"So my tale ends..." Tsurara could hear him whisper. "...Hahaue (mother)."

"_Noroi no Fubuki!_" she made her final attack. "_Yukigesho!_"

While he continued falling, Itaku caught her hand and brought her back to the top of the building.

"Thank you." She said and looked down.

Had anyone else been here, his threat may have worked. However, she was a Yuki Onna who knows a technique that would freeze the victim and shatter it into pieces.

Thus, with melancholy in his eyes, the enemy youkai shattered into countless crystals and was swept with the wind.

They have won.

"Haaah..." Tsurara allowed herself to fall down and sit. "I'll never get used to executions."

"Don't be that compassionate." Itaku said. "He didn't feel any for you when he tried to eat you."

She sighed. "I know, I know..."

"I am sure Rikuo would be proud with what you have done."

She was pleased. "I know, know..."

After a few moments, she rose up and walked to the opposite end of the building and looked towards the area she came from.

"So you noticed it too." Itaku commented.

"Yes... at first I was surprised to see humans here, but then I realized... why were there no humans in the street we fought in?"

"I noticed few as I was returning back to you." Itaku added. "All of them started leaving the place for different reasons: some went shopping to Shibuya, some went to visit relatives... I even contacted others and most of them noticed the same thing: the streets and buildings were abandoned."

"You Toono people know a lot about Fear. Is there a youkai that can do that?"

"This wasn't done by a youkai. There is a power in the air, but is is Onmyoujutsu."

"Onmyoujutsu you say? Are there really powerful enough Onmyouji to-"

Hebinyoro cut her off. "HISSSS!"

"Eh? What is it Hebinyoro?" Tsurara asked as she turned around. She looked towards Hebinyoro but then felt a strong youkai approaching and turned her gaze in directions the Fear came from. "...who are you?"

She was facing two people.

One was a giant black skull with teal light emitting from it's eye sockets and mouth. Looking at it a bit more, it was actually an enormous skeleton who looked like he was standing.

There was another person however, sitting on it's head. She wore a western black and red dress, a mask that cowered the upper half of her face and a fan in her right hand. The dress also lacked a sleeve for the left arm, thus revealing a bare hand with a black tattoo. The tattoo showed laughing skulls, connected into a ring with a black string. Some kanji were written on it, but Tsurara couldn't read them.

"Just who are you?" Tsurara asked and Itaku took a fighting pose, this time holding his scythes.

The person didn't answer and instead looked around.

"Seems we are late, nee-san." The skeleton said without moving it's jaw. "They seem to have killed him."

Something in the atmosphere about these two persons made Tsurara feel tense. She made a guess about who the woman was. "You are Shiori, aren't you?"

The masked woman looked towards her and then took out a piece of paper.

"Be careful Tsurara, that is an Onmyouji's talisman." Itaku warned her.

"I know that..." she created an ice spear, preparing for another fight.

"_Shinseina kitsune ni kuru_." She whispered and threw the talisman. "_Kawagara Seru_."

The talisman exploded and a four-tailed fox shikigami, two times bigger than a dog, appeared. Before Tsurara and Itaku could move a muscle, the fox growled at them and disappeared as suddenly as it has appeared.

The next moment, Tsurara felt too afraid to make a move. The weird thing is, she was not sure what was it that she was afraid of.

"What have you... done?" Itaku asked, seemingly as hit by it as she was.

The giant skeleton then raised his arm, preparing to strike them.

"I must... I must fight..." Tsurara managed to resist the fear she felt. However, she realized she would be unable to fight to her full power like this and started thinking of ways to escape.

"Put your arm down. We just came to curse them." The masked woman said as she patted the skeleton. "If we harm their commander's wife, we will start a war we are still not ready for."

The skeleton obeyed and lowered his arm. Tsurara felt so relieved she was ashamed.

"Good. Lets leave, there is nothing left for us to do here."

"As you say, nee-san." The skeleton turned around and walked away.

No, floated away. Tsurara saw that he had nothing below his chest.

"What is going on..." Tsurara said a fee moments after the danger has passed.

"I remember reading about it." Itaku, whose face also showed signs of being horrified, answered. "Some ancient Gokadoin Onmyouji used to cast this kind of curse to make parts of Hyaki Yakou's unable to fight. It doesn't last for long however."

"Doesn't matter how long it lasts!" Tsurara clenched her hand. "I want to go help my children... but the state I am, I would just end up being a burden." She was sure she could fight. No curse would be able to hold a mother down. What matters is that in this state, she would be unable to put up a proper fight.

"Just sit down and rest then." Itaku gave her a cold answer. "Or practice resiting in case it happens again."

"But..."

"Don't worry about Ritsura. I trained her and I know fully well how capable she is, likely more than anyone in your over-protective clan does. And from what I hear, your son is quite capable as well. You can't keep protecting them forever anyway."

"Accepting something like that..." Tsurara smiled. "For a parent, it is easier said than done." _Unless we are talking about my mom that is. _"Besides, the rest of the clan is out there as well. When you think about it, I am not as needed as I want to think. Still..."

Frustrated, she looked up to the sky.

"Ritsura, Rihan... fight well and stay safe my darlings."

******()()(****)()()(****)()()**

The cellphone of Gokadoin Kashaimaru was ringing. "Who is it now? Oh..."

The name written over the screen was Shiori.

"Moshi, Moshi... ah, Shi-chan!" he answered the call. "How nice of you to call me!"

"_Hello."_ She replied. _"You are not busy I hope?"_

"Actually, I am in middle of exorcising an old school." He said and at down on a table. His pet fox immediately jumped on his lap, seemingly wanting a break as much as he does. "But I could use a break anyway."

"_Oh good. I just wanted you to know I used up all of your talismans."_

"ALL of my talismans?" the talismans he gave her were some of his best and that is few levels above what best of the Onmyouji world has to offer. "Did something big happen?"

"_Kinda..."_ she said. _"I decided to try and assassinate Onieda Masato while he is..."_

"Are you kidding me?! Onieda Masato?!" he shouted, which resulted in his pet fox softly bitting his finger (which wa it's way of telling it's master to calm down). "Are you kidding me? Do you really think you stand a chance in a full fight with the very head of the Shin Sekai?"

"_Calm down Drama Boy, I sent ONE youkai after him."_ she sounded annoyed. _"I just took a chance."_

"I'd say thats good... if not for you mentioning the part of spending all of my talismans which ,to be honest, makes me REALLY worried."

"_Yeah... the Nura Clan found out about it, one thing led to another and now we are battling around Tokyo."_

Kashaimaru ended the call, put the phone down and started playing with his pet fox.

The phone rang again and he answered the call.

"_Hey, don't just-"_

He ended the call again, put the phone down, took out some salami from his pocket and fed his pet fox.

The phone rang again and he answered the call.

"_HEY!"_

"Call me one more time please."

He ended the call again, put the phone down, took out a comb and combed his pet with it.

The phone rang again and he answered the call. This time, he was the first to talk: "STARTING A WAR WITH THE NURA CLAN?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"_Geez, calm down Drama Boy. You don't really think I'd get myself killed."_

"It is still possible you get yourself drunk and do something stupid... please tell me you did this while drunk."

"_I don't drink."_

He ended the call again, put the phone down and asked his fox about what movie should they watch when they get back home.

The phone rang again and he answered the call.

"_You are seriously starting to piss me off with that!"_ Shiori complained.

"Thats the intention, Shi-chan." He said to her. "But I guess I'll be a gentleman and let you explain to me why you attacked the sleeping dragon."

"_I am busy so I'll explain it to you later. But don't worry about me, I'll be fine."_

"You better be. To save the Gokadoin House I must become the new head. To become a new head, I have to find a way to become immortal. And to do it before my cousin, I need your genjutsu. And for that I need you alive."

"_Oh good, I was already getting afraid you were worried about my own well-being."_

"Sweet dreams my lady, sweet drams."

"_Anyway, could you make few more talismans and send them to the address I will mail you?"_

"Won't we meet personally soon?"

"_I may need them before that. I'll explain later."_

"I love when you give me the _I'll explain later_ replies. They are such satisfying answers to my question that they should be banned." Kashaimaru sighed. "Which talismans do you need?"

"_I won't need any of those that keep humans away from trouble. Other than that, the ones I usually ask for."_

"Great, those are a big pain to make. If that is all, I have exorcising to do. These puny youkai seem to be planning to attack me together in a horde."

"_Alright, stay safe there."_

"You too Shi-chan." He ended the call and raised himself up, holding his pet fox in one arm while with his other hand, he took out two pairs of talismans.

"_Shinseina kitsune ni kuru!_" he shouted and threw one pair of the talismans.

The talismans exploded and two two-tailed fox shikigami, large as dogs, appeared.

He then threw the other pair onto the foxes. "_Yakeru_!"

The talismans burned and their flames engulfed the shikigami. However, the fox spirits didn't seem bothered by the fire that replaced their fur.

"Lets continue with our training guys!" he told them. "If you can't beat this lousy bunch, you sure as hell won't stand a chance against the Nura clan's Fourth Commander."

The foxes growled and jumped at their prey and the next moment the dark building was filled with orange light and screams of dying youkai.

* * *

**Author** **Notes:**

And thus two battles are dealt with and the current win ratio is 1:1 (though Hitotsune still hasn't given up... just what could he mean by that...)

Originally I intended to have most of the battles in one chapter but after some careful advising with my mighty associates, I decided to instead split it into multiple chapters, each one having one or two battles and some _calm_ scenes so you readers wouldn't get tired.

I am surprised myself that I managed to make Hitotsume kinda cool, especially since I tend to use him as a comic relief XD Well, he is canonically a strong character (even if a bit of a clumsy douche) so I think this is a treatment he deserves. And then we have a newly introduced character... a member of the family that caused so much trouble for Rikuo-chan. We didn't see much of him but I think those talismans Shiori used are good enough hint that he is not a pushover ;)

Anyway, thanks for spending your free time on reading this fic of mine and hope you review it and continue reading the chapters that are to come.

**Replies to Anon's:**

"More Ritsura please!"

Next chapter ;)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_Want someone dead? Then muster as much golden jewelry as you can, put it into a yellow bag, write on it the name the desired victim and at 1AM stand in middle of a highway for up to ten minutes. _

_If nothing happens, you need more gold._

_If you see shining golden motorcycle going in your direction, throw the bag towards him and he will catch it. Chimei Senko (Deadly Flash) has accepted to slay your enemy._

_And he will do it with a BANG._

_~The Hundred Tales of Tokyo_

* * *

"Slow down Ojou-san!" the radiant, golden biker shouted at Ritsura. "I can't aim at you if you keep going left, right, left, right..."

"What a pushy man..." Ritsura complained to herself. She, Aotabou and five of his gang members were riding their motorcycles through unusually empty streets. "Aotabou, do you know who this loony is?" the youkai following them hasn't done anything of note yet, but Ritsura had a bad feeling about him and that shotgun in his hand.

"I think that he is Chimei Senko, waka." Aotabou answered. "A very dangerous youkai assassin. And I am not talking about silent assassins here."

"Come on Ojouuu-saaaaan!" the vulgar youkai continued. "I'll be gentle, I promise. It will be a gentle baaaaaang!"

"Yes, I can see he isn't a silent type." Ritsura looked towards the others. "You guys stay behind and keep him busy. I don't want him to stop us from reaching our goal!"

The youkai looked towards Aotabou, as if asking for approval.

"What are you waiting for?! Do as waka says!" Aotabou ordered them.

"HAI!" the youkai cheered and slowed down.

"What is this, Ojou-san?" Senko shouted as Aotabou's comrades got in his way. "This is not how it is supposed to go."

"Well suck it!" Ritsura shouted back.

"If your mother hears you talking like that, I'll be frozen." Aotabou said with an awkward smile.

Ritsura didn't feel like having small talk so she returned to the subject. "Ao, you said he was dangerous. What exactly have you heard about him?"

"I have never seen him in action, but I have seen places where he killed his targets." Aotabou turned serious. "It always looks like someone threw a dozen of bombs... even my fists couldn't cause so much damage."

"That is..." Ritsura regretted telling her comrades to stay behind. "Was it wise to leave them alone with him?"

"Don't worry waka, they are tougher than they look." Ao ensured her with a wide smile.

But she was still not relieved. "Ao, lets go back... we can lose a few minutes to deal with him and take care that-"

A strong flash from behind and thunderous sound cut her off. But before she and Aotabou could even find time to turn around, one of their comrades fell in front of them, which was followed by another thunderous shoot and him exploding.

Seems the enemy was able to blow his victims into pieces.

The proximity of explosion blinded Ritsura for a moment and she barely remained balanced. Four explosions later, she looked behind herself and saw another of Aotabou' comrades being thrown into high into the air, only to be blown up the next moment.

"They are... I can't feel their Fear anymore..." Ritsura was shocked. In only few moments, all five of them have been killed.

Aotabou, who thought of them as his close comrades, needed more time to realize what has just transpired.

Then something flashed left of her. Riding just besides her was Chimei Shinko, holding something in his hand. "Here my pretty Ojou-san, have a gift." He tossed the object to her and slowed down, letting them go ahead of him.

Ritsura didn't think too much about how he got so close to her. Instead, she looked at what she caught and her eyes widened.

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Aotabou was first to react at seeing a severed head of his comrade. "I WILL CRUSH YOUUUUU!"

Furious, Aotabou closed to the enemy youkai, who didn't even attempt to distance himself from Aotabou.

"GO TO HELL!" skulls appeared around Aotabou and his Fear increased tremendously. "_GOURIKI RAISAN_!"

His punch striked near his opponent, destroying the whole street in the process and causing an earthquake.

"Ha ha, got you..." Aotabou laughed.

"You didn't." Ritsura said in a low tone, still looking at the head in her hand as it was disappearing in black smoke.

Chimei Senko's voice immediately confirmed her claim "What a magnificent baaaaaang, big guy! A shame I am fast as flash though, so it was a baaang without the true baaaang!"

"What... how?!" Aotabou was surprised. "That was practically a direct hit! He should have-BWAH!"

One of Senko's bullets hit him into his chest. Luckily, he was both tough and a skilled at bikes so the hit didn't do any major damage nor did it throw him of.

"That bastard..."

"What is it Ojou-san? You have been silent this whole time!" Senko returned to taunting her. "Are you shivering from fear? You wanna go into your mommy's arms?"

"Waka, this is too dangerous... leave him to-"

"Shivering from fear you say? Fu fu fu..." Ritsura, looking at the now empty hand, smiled. "There will be shivering from fear, Senko..." she took out and raised Nenekirimaru into the air, imbuing it with her fear. "...but it will not be me shivering due to yours!" Next moment, she hit the ground with it, filling road behind her with ice and ice spikes as she passed.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH!" she was seeing Chimei Shinko yell as he evaded the spikes and kept his balance. "Magnificent, but not something I can't handle!"

"Waka, I fear a frozen road won't pose his skills much of a problem..."

"I am sorry Ao..." she raised her other hand towards him.

"Huh?" He was confused for a second but then, when he realized what she wanted to do, he smiled. "Ha, don't worry about it. Lets show the fetcher who rules this city!"

The next moment, he turned into black mist which enveloped Ritsura, with Aotabou's now empty bike falling behind.

She was using _Matoi_, a technique invented by her grandfather, the second commander Nura Rihan. Based on the idea that youkai can possess human beings, a half-youkai can let a friendly youkai possess his human half, thus adding the youkai's fear to his own.

Rihan invented two methods of the technique: the offensive _Izutsu_ (Fear Cannon) and the more defensive _Kasane_, both of which allowed the possessed to use the abilities of the youkai.

However, the method she just used is the one her father invented. Based on the idea that a possessor can influence the mind of the possessed, the method allows the user to, instead of special abilities, acquire skills and experience from the youkai. Currently she didn't need Fear that would make her attacks stronger, but Aotabou's direct help on riding a bike.

"Prepare yourself Senko..." Ritsura spoke in a low tone to her nemesis, all while preparing to hit the ground with ice-imbued Nenekirimaru once again. "...for this ride is going to get much, much more extreme!"

She hit the road again, creating ice hundreds of meters around her.

"This trick again?" Senko complained. "Ojou-san, I already got used to WOAH!" he barely evaded an ice spike she threw at him.

Thanks to Aotaobu's skills, ridding the bike was now as natural as walking to her. Thus, she was able to focus on other things, like attacking her enemy.

"I won't make this quick, Senko..." she turned her bike around and took out her fan. "Five strikes for five lives you took."

Chimei Senko aimed his shotgun at her. "Seven lives. You forgot to count yourselves and that fatty."

"Hmph." She smirked and waved her fan towards him. "_Samui no Arashi_!"

Before Senko could pull his trigger, he was taken aback by the cold gust of wind her technique has created. Still, he managed to remain balanced.

"One." She said as she slashed her sword through his gun, then turning sword's trajectory downwards and cutting part of his hand.

"WAAAH!" he yelled. Still, he stayed composed enough to turn his bike around.

"Two." She said as she turned around herself, pointed two fingers towards him and threw an ice spike into his chest.

She started ridding towards him.

"Three." She said as she slashed his bike into half.

"W-what..." Senko tried talking. "How can that even be-"

"Four." She said as she cut him upwards, causing a grave wound.

Still holding Nenekirimaru in air, she said "_Izutsu_.", changing the Matoi method. Next moment, she was holding a giant skullshaped hammer above Chimei Senko.

"Now that sure is a magnificent bang, Ojou-san..." Chimei Senko muttered his last words.

"FIVE!"

Sound of bones breaking confirmed his death.

**()()()()()()()()**

With Chimei Senko dealt with, Ritsura immediately released Aotabou.

Aotabou appeared in front of her, kneeling on the floor and shivering.

"Ao..." she wanted to say something, but couldn't form a sentence.

"Ha ha, don't worry waka..." Aotabou gave her a forced smile and tried to rise himself up. "I am made of tougher stuff than others, a little cold won't be able to..." he fell back onto his knees, his dark skin now paler and his body shivering. He wasn't able to hold his facade, just like nobody else was.

"I am sorry..." she apologized.

"It ain't your fault waka..." Aotabou changed his approach. "We did what we had to do. A bit of cold... to avenge our comrades and... destroy an enemy youkai... is a small price to... pay."

She clenched her teeth.

Although as a half-youkai she is able to preform Matoi, the strength of the fear she inherited from her mother affects the youkai she Matois with by freezing them. And the stronger her fear became, the more painful it was for her comrades to aid her with the technique. She could just hope her fear doesn't get too strong and fatally overwhelms a comrade of hers one day... or more exactly, she had to make herself stronger so she wouldn't need to use the clan's strongest technique.

"Anyway, don't worry about... me waka... in a few days, I'll be fine." Aotabou forced another smile. "You have a job to do... don't you?"

She nodded. "Stay safe uncle Ao."

Giving him a bow, she turned around, phoned the clan to send someone to help Aotabou and was on her way. If she wastes too much time, all this fighting will have been for nothing.

**()()()()()()()()**

Rihan, Dohiko and Mayuri were running through Tokyo. Since she couldn't run as fast as these youkai, Dohiko carried Mayuri in his arms.

Usually, this kind of situation would make Mayuri blush. However, the only things on her mind now were concern and fear to the point she was thankful that she didn't need to run and worry abut bumping onto someone or something.

She often heard in movies the proverb that you don't know how much someone means to you until you lose them. Now, she personally felt how brutally true those words were: now that his life was in danger, she was on verge of crying.

She never had a good relationship with her father... no, it would be more exact to say that she didn't have any relationship with him as she rarely saw and talked to him. She understood that her father, Onieda Masato, was an very important person for both Japan and the world and that his company's inventions made countless lives better... yet, she still felt angry that he put everything in front of his daughter. She knew it sounded selfish, but who can blame a child for wanting her parent to be a... parent?

If at least he tried to spend time with her, she might have been able to look pass his other bad sides. But instead she ended up hating to see him come to visit her because the only things he cared about were her grades and public behavior while her own happiness didn't seem to concern him. It was like one of those cliche movies.

And so she made herself believe that, as long as she has Mamoru to depend on, that she wouldn't care in slightest if her father disappeared.

And as if the gods wanted to teach her a lesson, her father is being threatened, she is worried about him and her dependent brother is nowhere to be found.

"Damn them!" Rihan's shout made her turn towards him. Only now did she realize that eh was talking to the phone. "We have to be careful."

"What is going on?" Dohiko asked.

"Whoever this Shiori may be, her friends are attacking almost everyone from our clan. They didn't even shy from attacking nee-san and mother so I am sure they will target me as well as..." he threw a short glance at Mayuri and seemingly decided to not finish his sentence. "Anyway, we have to be more careful."

"No..." was the only thing Mayuri was able to say. As if it wasn't bad enough that ehr father was under attack, now she and her friends are also threatened.

"Who the hell are these guys anyway?"Dohiko asked "I know about all of the youkai clans and was hired to work for many of them, but have never herd about a clan led by... what did you say her name was?"

"Shiori." Rihan answered. "Toono is a remote, country village so you probably don't her much about clans made of urban legends."

"Ah, the city boys. I admit that I completely forgot about those."

"Many such clans have formed in last few years inside great cities, especially Tokyo." Rihan continued. "And most of them are not exactly friendly towards humans."

"Isn't Tokyo supposed to be protected by the Nura Clan?" Dohiko wondered. "It sounds lame that they are forming in your own territory, right under your noses."

"Yes, Tokyo is our territory. And father personally destroyed quite a few of those clans. The problem is that for every their youkai we kill, a new one or two are born."

"Communication Technology..." Mayuri said the words she remember Araya speaking. "While in past legends slowly spread from mouth to mouth, now they spread through the Internet. The numbers that used to be reached in years can no be reached in a single day."

"Not to mention Tokyo used to be the home of the Hyaku Monogatari Clan which was known for beign able to create youkai by spreadign such legends." Rihan continued. "it is possible that Shiori is one of them or at least learned their techniques."

"Creating youkai... Itaku told me about it." Dohiko didn't sounds impressed. "Absurd!"

"Why..." Mayuri opened her mouth again. "Why do they want to kill my dad? Why are they going this far just to kill him?"

Dohiko decided to answer that question. "I guess it is because-OUCH!"

"Forgive me for stepping on your foot." Rihan cut him off. "Doesn't matter why, Mayuri. Me and nee-san will take care your father survived."

"I hope so..." Mayuri was thankful for his words, but she was still worried. "But I still want to know why-"

Suddenly Rihan, and then Dohiko, stopped running. Mayuri knew she had to leave her question for later.

"What is it?" Dohiko asked.

"An enemy is getting close." Rihan took out his katana, calmly looking in a certain direction. "Enemies... no time to explain, you two go on and I will get rid of them."

"wouldn't it be better if-"

"Go! I know how to handle these guys. I beg you to take care no harm befalls Mayuri and take her to my sister."

Dohiko didn't think for long. "Alright, but don't get hurt or your lackeys will get tiresome again." He said and started running again.

"Rihan!" Mayuri shouted in his direction but soon last sight of him. "Please, don't leave me now..."

She felt a big hand pat her head. "Don't worry human child, he left you to Toono Clan and we are far above this trash that wants to hrut you. You may be an Onieda, but friend of my friend is my friend." He tried to encourage her.

"Thank you..." she said. "I am sorry for being such a burden." Still, she wished Rihan was here and not this youkai she just met... especially since he has something against her family.

"Ha, don't worry about it." He replied with a smile. It wa hard to believe that not long ago he looked at her with disdain.

"Rihan sure can be glad to consider you a friend. A second after he was gone, you start flirting with his woman." A female voice commented from beside them. Mayuri turne her head towards the source of the voice and saw a young woman with golden eyes, pink hair and wearing a yellow kimono and holding something small in her arms. Seeing as she was able to run as fast as Dohiko, Mayuri concluded she was also a youkai. "Glad to meet you, I am Toono's Yuki-Onna Reira."

"O, Reira!" Dohiko blushed. "I was just-"

"Dohiko is..." the thing Reira was carrying started speaking. "...a pedo!"

Next moment, the thing jumped from Reira's arms into Mayuri's.

"Hyaa!" Mayuri screamed. She then noticed that she was carrying a tiny, black-haired girl.

"I am Zashiki-Warashi called Yukari." The girl introduced herself. "Glad to meet you!"

"Glad to meet you guys two." Mayuri nodded. "My name is Mayuri." She introduced herself to them. Due to seeing how Ametou and Dohiko reacted to word _Onieda_, she decided to not mention it for time being.

"Hold her well and no misfortune will befall you." Reira advised with a warm, motherly tone, bringing a small smile to Mayuri's face. "And definitely a better protection than this ape here."

"Ghhh! Why didn't you stay and help Rihan?"

"He refused my help." she shrugged. "Anyway, where are we going?"

"To the very heart of danger." Dohiko replied. "Sounds exciting, wouldn't you agree Reira?" he then looked towards Mayuri. "And while we run, I'll tell you what might be the reasons your father is targeted."

**()()()()()()()()**

The streets of Tokyo were unusually unpopulated as Ritsura rode her bike through them. she hoped she would find some of her comrades along the way, but it seems Shiori doesn't leave anything to chance: almost everyone from the clan had to deal with at least one of Shiori's youkai.

The state on the battlefield itself wasn't that bad though: although the Nura Clan lost a number of it's own, most of them seemed to be capable of taking care of themselves, partially because they were stronger than these weaklings and partially because most of enemies seem to be more focused on keeping them away from Masato then killing them.

Speaking about it, Ritsura felt pressured. Saaya claims that Masato still isn't in danger, but the gap between her and Masato was so big that the chance Ritsura gets to him in time is low even if nobody gets in her way... but for some reason Ritsura was sure that Shiori will send someone to attack her. In that case, Ritsura had two choices:

One is to face the opponents and disposes of them as soon as possible. Bit she was sure that Shiori would either send someone strong enough to pose challenge or someone skilled enough to keep her occupied. That means that if she wants to resolve the fight, she would need to use some of her stronger techniques. But the fight against Chimei Senko already exhausted her and if she ends up using too much of her Fear, the chances are that she will be too tired to face that clown from the poem that is supposed to attack Masato.

That leaves only the other option: she will need to run away from what made her frustrated was the fact that she was unable to make a plan due to not knowing what Shiori may send at her. And so, instead of planning her next move, Ritsura could only worry. And worrying just made her more exhausted.

_Come on Ritsura, stay focused! How can I claim to be a worthy heir if this is enough to tire me up! _Ritsura took a deep breath and then released it. _I can't afford to worry about stupid stuff now. The enemy can attack me from anywhere and I must keep my attention on... what is going on here?_

What she saw made her worried. Cars, bycicles, motorbikes, trucks and even skateboards... everything was torn apart. She slowed down a bit and looked around and in front of her... all that can be used for transport in a long radius around her was destroyed.

She didn't need long to realize what is going on: the enemy was intending to attack and rob her of her bike and they took care she doesn't get a substitute.

_Damn bastards...I must not let them..._ the next moment,she felt Fear in front of her. Not long after, she saw a young girl lying on the road, holding her hands under her chin. Ritsura's eyes could see a smile on her face.

And Ritsura had the misfortune to know who she was. _You were the last thing I needed..._

Before Ritsura could even move steering wheel, the girl flew toward her with a scythe in her hands and a maniacal smirk on her face.

_Damn you..._ Ritsura had no choice but to jump from he bike. The fall wasn't painless, but Ritsura knew worse pains. As a matter of fact, what hurt her the most was hearing sounds that hinted at her bike being split into two halves. _Ahhh... just how much allowance just fell into water!_

But she couldn't afford herself to lie on the concrete so she jumped back and landed on her feet, creating an ice spear in the process.

"Good eveniing, Ritsu-chiiin~" the enemy youkai shouted with a singing voice and turned towards Ritsura. The female youkai looked like a schoolgirl dressed in one of those old school sailor uniforms. Her eyes were bright yellow and her brown hair looked like it didn't see neither a comb nor a shower for years.

But what was most notable about her was a long ,black scythe in her hands, the fact that she was floating in the air... and the fact that she lacked legs.

"Kashima Reiko,... didn't think I'd meet you here..." Ritsura greeted the youkai who caused terror in Tokyo for decades but nobody from the clan was able to get rid of her yet. Ritsura herself met her a few times bur she also didn't have much luck in destroying her. And to her misfortune, Reiko took a liking to her. "...so, you are also one of Shiori's lackeys?"

"Hmm, Shi-chin's lackey you say?" Reiko made a few spins. "Well, I guess I am now, no matter how lame it makes me sound."

_Tz... sending someone who has experience in fighting me... well done Shiori, well done..._ Ritsura looked straight into Reiko. To look around for an escape route might alarm her of Ritsura's true intentions so she instead tried to leave the opposite impression: that she wanted to face her in a fight.

"Well, I guess I am lucky!" Ritsura said with a smile and cooled the air around herself in order to make her bluff look more legitimate. "...I get another chance to kill you."

"Ah, so you really do car about me!" Reiko replied and started spinning around Ritsura. As if the fact that Reiko knew her wasn't bad enough, the fact that Reiko wa fast and agile just made Ritsura's plan to run harder. "But you know... you Nura's always say that... yet I always manage to get away."

"Try until you succeed." Ritsura took a fighting stance and made the air around even colder. Also, her school uniform was replaced by a kimono. Reiko replied by taking her own fighting stance and retreated back a bit to where the air wasn't as cold. "Don't worry Reiko, my kisses aren't reserved for men only."

"Ugh, a yuki-Onna's kiss... couldn't you give me a less painful death... like a spear into my head?" Reiko answered while spinning and juggling her scythe that cost so many humans and youkai their lives or body parts.

"As you wish!" Ritsura ran at her and took her fan out. "_Samui no Arashi_!" she shouted and let out a cold wind.

But Reiko didn't seem concerned. As a matter of fact, her face showed signs of admiration. "Woah, a new technique! Oh, this will be so exciting!" she sad and, just before the wind hit her, she flew up into the air with high speed. "Hey Ritsu-chin, is this your only new... Ritsu-chin?"

For a few seconds, Reiko just floated in the air and looked through the empty street.

Then she exploded. "HEY, YOU CAN'T START RUNNING AWAY FROM ME LIKE THAT!"

While Reiko was flying left and right with high sped, Ritsura used her Nurarihyon's Fear to hide from her. She wasn't as good as her father or brother right now, but if she is careful and lucky enough, Reiko won't notice her.

But Reiko's speed proved to be a bigger nuisance than Ritsura anticipated. Not a minute could pass without Reiko flying through the same place two or three times. That made Ritsura's retreat a lot slower. Although she had abilities of a Nurarihyon right now, against someone on Reiko's level that only made her better at hiding. If Reiko faces her directly, she will see her.

Then Reiko yelled: "_Hikine_, stop being a sloth and help me!"

_Hikine? Don't tell me that he is-_ the next moment, someone jumped from a lamp post beside her and caught her arm. He looked like a young man with tan skin, a tempting face and with cat ears on his head. "I apologize young lady..." he told her and, before Ritsura could react, he threw her into nearby bushes. "Reiko, I found her!"

"HA!" Reiko didn't need more than two seconds to appear beside him. "There will be a hell to pay! You promised me a battle Ritsu-chin and a second later you run away like a mouse from a cat!

"What did you expect? The young lady is in a hurry." Hikine sighed. "Besides, this is a game where we win if we delay her long enough and she wins if she gets away, one way or another. Those are Hahaue's orders. And for that reason..." Hikine slashed his hand at Reiko's scythe, cutting the blade out of it. "...you won't need this. Her death would mean a premature war after all. Well, not that I would let a young lady die."

"KAAAH!" Reiko screamed. "My... my... my scythe! You moooonster!"

"I don't want to hear that from a serial killer..." Hikine turned towards Ritsura who still just sat in the bushes and starred at these two. "...young lady, I apologize for the troubles. I promise you that you won't be harmed and for that I will fight using my bare hands." He told her and bowed.

"What a gentleman." His extremely polite way of talking and his tendency to call girls that looked as if they were around his age '_young lady'_ annoyed Ritsura. "I am surprised to see that someone with your reputation is a member of the Hyaku Monogatari."

"I am a mother's son." Hikine replied and bowed again. "I apologize for the brutality of my... comrades. But as they say: the difference between friends and family is that you get to choose the first ones."

"Tz." Ritsura raised up onto her legs and started cleaning her kimono from dust and leafs. In a reply to it, Hikine took a boxing stance while Reiko started spinning her scythe-turned-staff.

"Well, maybe I am not allowed to slaughter you but I am sure I can beat you into oblivion!" Reiko said with an evil grin. "I think you'll be the first Yuki-Onna with blue skin rather than pale."

Hikine hit Reiko's staff from her hands. "I won't let such barbaric violence hurt a young lady."

"Ahhh... you damn pervert! Why did I have to get paired with you on this mission?" Reiko sighed and floated to her weapon. "You know what? I lost my will to fight. You play with her, and I'll keep an eye out so she doesn't run away."

Hikine didn't reply but instead concentrated on Ritsura. It was obvious he didn't intend to let Ritsura get an opening.

* * *

_Many girls between thirteen and twenty five found a mysterious novella titled 'Hikine' amongst their stuff. The novella was a tale about a schoolgirl who felt as if someone with ill thoughts was stalking her. That feeling of dread grew with each passing day. No matter whom she asked for help, nobody found anyone and everyone concluded she was imagining it, maybe even going mad. Desperate and starting to believe that she really wend mad, she jokingly asked a stray cat to protect her from harm. From that moment , the cat followed her no matter where she went and it's presence made her feel calm for some reason._

_Then one night, a car stopped at front of her and her stalkers attacked her. She never found out what they wanted to do with her, but the perverted stares they gave her hinted at a bleak future._

_And then the cat walked out from the shadows and she felt relieved for reasons she couldn't understand. One of the attackers noticed her relief and, wanting to destroy the hope in her, he took out a gun and shoot a bullet at the cat._

_But to everyone's surprise, the cat took a humanoid form and caught the bullet with his hand. Where once a cat stood, there was now a young, handsome man with eyes as black as darkness, holding a western medieval sword in his hand._

_Surprised and terrified, the attackers ran to their car to take out their guns. A black mist than engulfed them and the knight walked to the girl, took out an MP3 player from his pocket and handed it to her. He politely asked her to put the earphones on and leave for home while listening to music as no princess should see nor hear the screams of death. Not waiting for her reply, he contineud walking towards the darkness where the attackers were supposed to be. Black mist engulfed his body and took shape of a transparent, black samurai armor _

_The girl listened to his request and left for her home. His words and the music he gave her gave her a strange feeling of safety and she could not feel nor fear nor worry. And never again was she stalked or attacked._

_Many of the girls who read the novella and found themselves in danger, be it due to humans or youkai, were saved by the man from the novella. And thus he became an urban legend who protected young women from meeting a premature end, giving his best to not allow even a scar to be left in their lives._

_~The Hundred Tales of Tokyo._

* * *

"You damn cat!" Ritsura whispered to herself as she fought for breath. She heard that this youkai was formidable, but she felt it herself now: even with a handicap, he was able to fight her on higher ground. She had no doubt that, once he gets serious, that he is on a far higher level than someone like Chimei Senko.

Truth be said, Ritsura wasn't giving her best either but even her weaker techniques are usually able to at leat be a nuisance to the enemy. He however didn't seem affected by her attacks in slightest: the cold air didn't seem to affect him, any ice weapon he blocks and somehow shatters and even trying to get him stuck in blocks of ice only ends in the ice getting shattered by the black mist that pours from his body.

Her enemy kept his promises: he didn't harm her yet but only blocked her attacks, pushed her around and took care she doesn't run away from him. But that hurt Ritsura's pride more than any bruise would.

_This could go on till dawn... what should I do? To get serious and get rid of him? No... he doesn't seem like an enemy whom I could easily dispose of... I need to find a way to get away from him, but how? Is there something from his tale I could use?_

After a bit of thinking, she made her move: "If what I heard was right, you re a knight who protects young maidens, am I right?" Ritsura stopped moving and asked him.

"You have heard well young lady."

"_Young Lady_... you sure are going on my nerves with it..." Ritsura replied to him. "You know your mother wants to kill a certain man whom I want to save." She than added "Who, by the way, Father of a girl you are sworn to protect from any kind of pain. What do you think, how much will the sight of her brutally killed father disturb her and how much she will cry at his funeral? And with you helping him get killed."

Seeing as this youkai not only protected girls from harm, but also went to extreme to keep both their bodies and minds healthy, Ritsura hoped that, if the tales are true, this fact would shake him up a bit.

But her nemesis kept a poker face. "A bit of suffering for one girl against deaths and greater sufferings of hundreds. I know my math, young lady."

"Deaths of hundreds? What are you talking about?"

"Heh, seems like you don't even know whom you are saving." Hikine smiled "Truth be told, that girl may suffer even more if he survives as-"

"Hey!" Reiko, who up till now was silently lying on the ground, announced: "Keep your mouth shut! Or have you forgotten the rules of the Game?"

"Don't worry, I have not." He shrugged his shoulders and turned back to Ritsura. "I apologize, but I can't talk more about this issue."

"Hmph. Don't tell me that Shiori persuaded you that serving her will bring to greater good or something?" Ritsura gave up on the last topic. If the easy-going, chatty Reiko gets so serious about it, than this stuck-up guy will be even less happy to talk about it.

"What exactly do you mean by _greater good_? It is a broad term." Again, her words didn't have any effect on him. "But don't worry, I am aware of the sins my mother perpetrates and I am well aware that heroism is not something that tends to motivate her."

"Yet you serve her." Ritsura commented. "Your place isn't amongst those murderers."

Her words seem to have entertained him. "I think this is the one thing you and my... comrades agree on."

"Allow me to translate!" Reiko announced. "Our friend here doesn't discriminate where offenders are concerned. He kills everyone equally. Heh, if I wasn't technically a schoolgirl, legs likely wouldn't be the only things I lack."

Ritsura understood what she meant: this man doesn't shy away from killing his own.

"Don't look at me like that, young lady." He answered to her as if reading her thoughts. "We are not a company of friends that love and agree with one another. When our mother commands, we will do her will as a clan. But when we are fulfilling her orders, we are all leading our own separate lives... we are our own separate tales."

"Tz, I don't think I an understand that screwed up way of thinking." Ritsura took out Nenekirimaru. "But it doesn't look like my words affect you."

"Careful there boy, listening wasn't the only thing she did while you were busy blabbering."

"What..." before he could even start a question, Ritsura used the same technique that she used against Chimei Senko earlier when she froze up the road and made ice spikes appear from the ground. Reiko easily got away from danger while Hikine was attacked in full force.

Still, he dodged all the spikes and jumped on top of a car, his back turned towards Ritsura.

"Impressive... but quite exhausting as well I take it."

"Advice!" Reiko announced: "Don't take your eyes away from a Nura."

"Ah..." he quickly turned around towards Ritsura who was already on her way to hit him with Nenekirimaru. But her strike wa blocked by a western broadsword that appeared in his hand. Black mist jumped out of it and engulfed Nenekirimaru, but had no effect on it so it just dispersed. "A sword that didn't shatter... nice weapon you have there."

"Warning!" Reiko made another of her Public Service Announcements. "That is one dangerous thingie."

"Heh." He once again faced Ritsura. "I guess I'll have to break my promise and use a weapon. But only for defense, I have no intentions to attack you with it."

_Dammit!_ Ritsura became Desperate. She was already exhausted due to fighting Chimei Senko and the Matoing, and her fight against Hikine not only made it worse but she was going nowhere with it. _Is there really no other way but use all of my Fear? But if I do that, the chances I won't be able to face whatever attacks Masato are high._

Ritsura looked in direction she was supposed to travel in. _Forget that... what are the chances I reach him in time!? Will I really need to..._

"Just give up young lady." Her enemy suggested. "Even if you beat me, i will not matter as you have already lost. Me and Reiko destroyed most of vehicles which means you will need to travel a good amount of way on foot... quite tiring and slow, wouldn't you agree?" he smiled at her. "But even if you weren't that far away and were in shape..." her enemy continued with his attacks. "Do you really think that mother left a red carpet for you to woke on? No, me and Reiko aren't the only obstacle on your way. We are just a small piece of it."

His words were like a confirmation of a brutal truth in all of it's light and all optimism that Ritsura allowed herself to have evaporated. No matter if she beat him or not... no matter if she found a new bike or not...no matter if reinforcements came or not... the situation looked grim.

_Will it really end like this... with my orders bringing nothing but pointless deaths to my comrades?_ Ritsura raised her eyes back at her enemy. _Argh, forget about it! No matter the situation, I MUST beat him to proceed anywhere!_

"Dangerous eyes you have there, young lady." Hikine noticed.

"Hey, Ritsu-chin!" Reiko started. "Why don't you at least kill him? A captain less for the enemy clan and you and me will be able to have a proper deathmatch!"

If her comrade was bothered by her words, he didn't show it. He contineud to keep watch over Ritsura.

_True, at least Icould kill them... _Ritsura squeezed her sword. _But... he himself doesn't seem like that bad of a person and I don't think that killing him would be beneficial in the long run anyway._ Although he served the wrong side, he wasn't a direct threat to neither humans nor her clan. And due to that, Ritsura had trouble finding motivation to kill him. if there was hope she could finish her task, she could muster the will for it, but as it is... it seemed like a pointless death.

"Anyway, let me admit that there is probably no reason to worry about Onieda Masato-san." He started. "That man is-"

Suddenly, a bullet hit him into his head.

"And there goes one of his seven lives!" Reiko commented while taking her weapon into her hands and her starting to look around for enemies. "Where did that come fro... what the..." seems she found her culprit in the sky.

Following her example, Ritsura looked up. There, she saw a flying ship. The flag on the mast showed the symbol of the Nura Clan, a thing that made her hopeful again.

"Hey, Ojou-san!" she heard a voice from above. "It seemed to me you were being late so I brought a ship with me!"

"Uncle Nyudo!" she was never that happy to see that big eye of his.

"I am no uncle of yours, brat!" he said with a a smile on his face. It was quite some time since they made that exchange of words. "Come on girl, hurry up." He threw a rope to her.

Ritsura didn't waste her time and took it into her hands with youkai from above pulling her up.

"You think I'd let you run away like that?" Reiko yelled and stormed at her.

"I am really in no mood to be stopped, Reiko!" Ritsura turned to her and blew cold air right into her face, causing her to stop. Then a few youkai jumped from the ship and pushed her onto the ground.

As she was being pulled up, she looked down. Although he was shot into his head, Hikine didn't seem to have suffered notable injuries. Two of the youkai that jumped down ran at him but the moment they got close, he knocked them unconscious in mere seconds. Ritsura felt relieved to see him both unharmed and him not killing her comrades.

"I didn't know we had this." Ritsura said as she climbed onto the ship.

"Takarabune. Thats how this youkai is called." Hitotsume replied, still smoking his pipe. "Anyway Ojou-san, you can admire him later." He said as he took a sniper into his hands. "From what I hear, there is a rocky road in front of us!"

"Better a rocky road than no road." She replied with relief as Takarabune went on. There was hope of reaching Masato after all.

However, a small look towards the ground showed that she wasn't yet done with that duo.

**()()()()()()()()**

_It woke up, the eternal darkness and silence replaced by imagery it didn't immediately understand._

_It didn't yet fully understand where it was... or what was it's name or what was it's gender or even what it was doing._

_But it knew it must kill...that it must hunt... and whom it needed kill and hunt._

_And so, somehow knowing where it's pray is, it started hunting. _

_It will "remember" what it was while it hunts._

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the end of another SS chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviews my chapters, your reviews are the best motivation one can ask for :)

Anyway, unlike other chapters this one was dominated (with a small break) by one character: the 4th heiress herself. The battle is tough and stressful for young Ritsura but I am sure she will be able to handle it, even if she (yet) lacks her own Hyaki.

Shiori continues being an obstacle, even if she doesn't fight anyone. She managed to exhaust her enemy and cut Ritsura from rest of her comrades, all while putting a number of strong opponents in front of her to serve as both a physical and a mental obstacle. However, Uncle Ao can crush through bones of any enemy (literally ;P) and Uncle Nyuudo showed Film Hatter he ain't that easy to delay (though one wonders where other Takarabune's are...). Shiori was outwitted but one doubts she will just shrug her shoulders to this. And time is of essence for Ritsura, especially since the new Tale was born and started it's hunt.

We are also introduced to three new characters, though one got banged (sorry for the pun). Kashima Reiko is a youkai you may have heard of while Hikine is both an original youkai and (surprisingly?) is not entirely evil. Both Reiko, who evaded Nura clan's gangsters for decades, and Hikine, who didn't have much trouble fighting Ritsura, promise to be threats. And as Ritsura noted, it is unlikely they will retreat just yet.

And during all that, Mayuri looks back at her relationship with her father. And now that Rihan is not there no keep them quiet, the Toono will give her some lore on her own family's secret side. Oh, and where the heck is Mamoru? You didn't see him since ch4 and I didn't see him since the deleted scene in ch6 :P Well, everything in it's time ;P

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hope you review it!

P.S. Kibiki sisters and Yashagoro are kinda missing aren't they? Well, they will make their appearance in next chapter... or the one after.


	8. Chapter 8

**What came before:** _the battle between the Nura clan and Shiori's Hyaku Monogatari continues, with members of the Nura clan scattered around to the point that even the young heirs have to fend for themselves which becomes harder due to the fact they have no time to spare. Fortunately Kiyotsugu Saaya and Ichinoe Araya offer indirect help in the battle but unfortunately there is more than one enemy the Nura clan has to deal with._

* * *

**Chapter_ 8_**

_One of the most basic elements of human nature is the inner conflict between the virtue and the sin. It is only natural that this conflict ends up being represented in countless legends all around the world. That is also the case of the story of Koushin, battle between the Jade Emperor Ten-Tei and the demon Shomen-Kongo._

_Japan had always been well-known for its religious plurality as well as having numerous beliefs and deities. And those numerous religions constantly intervened with one another, giving birth to more beliefs. One of those beliefs was called _"_Koushin_"_, a Japanese folk religion that appeared before the Heian period._

_The Koushin religion stated that three worms, the Sanshi, lived within every human body, keeping record of both good and bad deeds the humans committed. Every sixty days, the night of Koushin-Machi occurred, when the worms would leave the humans to go to deity Ten-Tei, the Jade Emperor and ruler of bad people were punished with illness, shorter lives or even instant death. That was why people were influenced to live virtuous lives. And the religion became more and more popular, cleaning sin in its path and making the world a better place._

_But just as there were those who fought for virtues, there were those who fought for sins. One of those was the King of Yasha, Shomen-Kongo, a Maou from India who had come to Japan with an army of loyal Yasha's and ambitions of conquest. He and the Koushin soon became bitter enemies. And, after seeing how many humans lived in fear of Ten-Tei's punishment, Shomen-Kongo planned the destruction of the harmony brought by the Koushin._

_One of Shomen-Kongo's abilities was and causing diseases that not even the Sanshi were immune to. Any human who spent an entire night praying to Shomen-Kongo would be blessed with death of their Sanshi, thus allowing them to live a sinful life without fear of the divine retribution._

_Of course, many of Koushin's faithful warriors rose to fight the new menace and restore order. But Shomen-Kongo was not someone to be underestimated. He may have been a mighty and temperamental demon with ability to casue and heal illnesses of all kinds, but his true power was his wicked, manipulative mind. He despised virtues and the virtuous warriors who fought evil to no end, so he killed many of them, but not the most virtuous ones. His plans for them were worse. He toyed with them, confused them and turned their virtuous zeal into fanaticism and insanity, turning those once virtuous heroes into villains. And, soon enough, the Koushin religion was defenseless with all of its protectors either going insane or joining the enemy._

_Without anyone standing in his way, Shomen-Kongo walked into Shitennou-ji, the most sacred and oldest Koushin Temple, and there he declared himself a god and took the name Koushin-san. And, as Koushin-san, he claimed to protect the humans from the sin. In truth, he protected sinners who showed him respect and loyalty while the rest were punished for the smallest sins just because he enjoyed it. However, everything comes to an end, and so did Shomen-Kongo's life when the Second Commander of the Nura Clan visited him in Shitennou-ji._

_And so, his reign of terror was gone._

**()()()()()()()()**

_Nine years back in time…the Maou Sanmoto Gorouzaemon walked through the bleak place where all humans and youkai are destined to go once they die, waiting to rejoin the circle of reincarnation – in other words, Hell. He was a man who relished in all kinds of joy when still human. And, as such, he hated that dull world and seeked to return to the world of the living and all of its dark pleasures. Had it not been for Nura Rikuo, he would have returned to life, and, had it not been Nura Rihan, he would have been a deity by now._

_Although he liked to spend his time dreaming about revenge, different thoughts were now going through his ghastly head as the powerful ancient youkai and Kami, Maou Shomen-Kongo, had invited him for a conversation. Sanmoto had no idea what Shomen-Kongo could want from him, but he didn't dare to reject his invitation. While they were both still alive, Shomen-Kongo was a valuable ally of his and could be useful again, so it would be a very good idea to keep getting along with him and a very bad idea to anger him. The problem, however, was that Shomen-Kongo had a short temper and was utterly unpredictable. One wrong word could cause great problems to Gorouzaemon._

_Finally, Sanmoto reached his destination. On the ground, a gigantic three-eyed, blue-faced Oni with six hands sat. Two of his hands were closed as if in prayer, one was holding a bow, one was holding arrows, one was holding a Buddhist wheel and one was holding a sword. He was surrounded by a sea of Yasha's, demons from India who gave their lives to serve him. All of them were sitting with their eyes closed and deep in meditation, thus looking like statues. Behind their master, three monkeys were jumping around and playing, occasionally closing their ears, eyes and mouth._

_Sanmoto prostrated himself in front of him. "You asked to see me, Koushin-san?"_

"_Ah, Sanmoto... fat and disgusting as always." Shomen-Kongo greeted him. The earth shoke as he spoke in what was, for him, a low tone. "Good thing you have lost your face, so I don't need to look at that ugly mug of yours. Feel free to rise up."_

"_I humbly thank you, Koushin-san." Sanmoto rose up and formed fists with his hands, not wanting to look disrespectful and take any risks as he hid his anger._

"_Say... how long was it since you asked me to save you from your Sanshi?"_

"_Around four centuries, Koushin-san." Sanmoto answered. Sanshi were a great threat to the sinners in Edo Period and Sanmoto had feared they would be the end of him, so he had also been one of those to pray to Shomen-Kongo for salvation._

"_Ah, yes... not only did you spend an entire night in prayer but you also sent me a very generous gift in form of money. I built and decorated great many temples with it. Heh, heh, heh." He sounded pleased._

"_I am glad to hear that." Sanmoto rubbed his hands and tried to smile. "Your blessing was worth every coin. It brought great fortunes to me."_

"_Life sure is more pleasant when Ten-Tei isn't meddling in it. But Sanmoto..." Shomen-Kongo's face took the form of an angry grimace. "...you also payed to me with the promise you would become a Gachirin and create an interesting new world that would please me greatly. But all your misdeeds remained nothing more than misdeeds. Your failure to pay me back properly was a huge insult to my name!"_

"_I-I-I..." Sanmoto was terrified. He wasn't sure in how much danger a dead youkai could be, but Shomen-Kongo is someone who was able to cheat, fight and beat the heavens themselves. There was no saying of what he was capable of. "Maybe not everything went as originally planned, but it is still not over, Koushin-san. Please give me some more time, and I shall-"_

"_Ah, stop shivering. You may have failed to entertain me, but at least you still have some value." Shomen-Kongo calmed down. "Abe no Seimei was better than you in every regard and look what happened to him. I expected a lot from him, you know? To the point I even gave him my Shoukera. Now, he is dead and Seimei is worthless to me! Bah!"_

"_Seimei-dono was a force to be reckoned with, yes. But his fall is the fault of that accursed Nura Clan, Koushin-san." Sanmoto tried to use the situation. "They tried their best to ruin any plan we ever came up with!"_

"_Not only yours." Kongo frowned. "Aotabou... I invested years in creating that youkai. And guess what happens? The Nura clan finds him and makes him one of theirs. And that very Aotabou ended up being the one to kill my beloved Shoukera. A shame... a great shame!"_

_Shomen-Kongo loved only two things: the divine position he had acquired by himself and misleading promising humans and youkai into becoming his Champions, no matter if they were aware of who their master was or not. As instance, Shoukera used to be one of Ten-Tei's most zealous servants and a follower of the Koushin religion, as well as a bitter enemy of Shomen-Kongo. But through skillful manipulation, Shomen-Kongo corrupted his soul and mind. As time went on, Shoukera fell more and more into insanity and his mind progressively became weaker. He then found hismelf a new religion, Christianity, and was even able to hear the whispers of God. But little was he aware that those whispers actually came from Shomen-Kongo and that he had unknowingly become his servant._

_That was how fearsome Shomen-Kongo was._

"_I intended to repay them in kind you know. Once Nura Rihan's beloved wife died, he was weakened and I thought I could use that. Just imagine: making their very commander Nura Rihan MINE." Shomen-Kongo continued "Aotabou for their commander... a fair deal, I would say. But I underestimated the Nura Clan and their commander. And now I am here, in your company and with my power over humans diminished."_

"_As I said, the accursed Nura Clan." Sanmoto said with an angry face. Inside, however, he was pleased due to finding out that Shomen-Kongo and him had a common enemy. "Aren't you just frustrated about how those bastards still haven't answered for their sins?"_

"_Ha, ha, ha, ha..."__laughing, the Maou Shomen-Kongo raised to his feet. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" his laughter was silent at first, but it gradually became louder and created earthquakes around him and Sanmoto, who, unable to keep balance on his feet, fell onto his bottom. Still, the Yasha's surrounding them remained calm, while Sanmoto could not even imagine what would make him laugh like that._

_And then, suddenly, Shomen-Kongo calmed down. "Sanmoto... I will need your help." he said as he walked up to him. Sanmoto could only shiver from fear as this monstrous giant stood above him. "Coward, just like I remember. But, don't worry, Sanmoto. I promise you that once you hear what I have to say, not even your great cowardice will save you from shivering from laughter." Shomne-Kongo smiled. "Your and my Fear will create an Champion that no youkai shall ever forget."_

_And as promised, Sanmoto's fear was replaced with ecstatic pleasure._

**()()()()()()()()**

_Back to the present time, the battle between the Nura Clan and a Hyaku Monogatari continues…_

"Things are not going well, Ritsura." Saaya's voice spoke through a cellphone. "It is as if Shiori expected this entire conflict to happen."

"Saaya-chan, mind giving me some substance?" Ritsura replied. "I know you well enough to guess that you keep an eye on every part of the town."

"As I said, it's going on poorly." Saaya continued. "Don't hope to see much of reinforcements. Shiori delayed literally everyone. I have no doubts there are more enemies in front of you but they are hiding themselves from the city's cameras."

"They are already around me." Ritsura could feel many different kinds of Fear below her, as if the youkai wanted her to know they are close. Until today, she couldn't even imagine they had so many enemies inside Tokyo. Maybe Rihan was right and the Clan should have taken stricter measures to assure their dominance in the city. "Were I not in the air, I'd already be swinging my sword in all directions."

"Don't relax too much." Saaya warned her. "It is quite possible that the enemy is assembling a flying army or something."

"That's exactly why I am relaxing. Else, I'd be too tired when I get attacked, and, trust me, you don't want to be tired during a fight." Ritsura told her. "What about humans? The streets seem deserted."

"Only the ones close to you guys. The rest of Tokyo is as lively as ever." Saaya said to her. "It seems Shiori was kind enough to do something that keeps human victims bearing the minimum. The streets that are no longer filled with youkai already returned to normal."

"I am not sure if I should be thankful or concerned." Ritsura sighed. She didn't like the fact that Shiori had the ability to do something as big as force a good chunk of Tokyo to leave the endangered areas, as it implied that she had other equally big cards to play.

Why Shiori had gone through all the effort to keep the humans away was something Ritsura couldn't understand. There were youkai that tried to keep the humans away from their wars, but Shiori's youkai didn't seem the kind to show mercy towards humans, other than few exceptions, like Hikine. Not to mention that human victims tended to make that kind of youkai stronger, which was another reason they should want humans to be present.

And there was something else that bothered her.

"By the way Saaya, do you have an idea of why Shiori would want Onieda Masato dead? She sure is giving her best to harm him."

"I have no idea." Saaya answered with a tired tone. "It could be anything from some kind of master plan to Shiori fooling around just for the sake of it. Shiori may blabber a lot about her youkai, but keeps her own personal stories for herself. Even her tales don't have any link that connects them."

"Irritating..." Ritsura turned toward Hitotsume, who was standing on the edge of Takarabune and shooting a bullet downwards every now and then. "Hitotsume, do you think we could catch one of them and beat him into spitting out some information?"

"I am sure we could, Ojou." He answered, still looking down. "But please let's leave that for another day. We already have our hands full here."

"Good point," Ritsura nodded and put the cellphone back to her ear. "Anyway, Saaya, how far away are we from Masato's location?"

She didn't get an answer.

"Saaya?" Ritsura repeated. "Saaya, are you there? Do you hear me?"

But still no answer. She then noticed that her cellphone got turned off.

"What...? I am hundred percent sure that it had enough power for an entire week!" Ritsura had a bad feeling. "Shiori... I guess you will soon make your mov-" she then went silent.

When she raised her head, she saw a woman before her, clothed in a black-red western and dress hiding her face under a mask and a fan, sitting on edge of a skyscraper. The moment Ritsura's golden eyes and her red ones made contact, the woman made a V sign with her fingers.

"Hitotsume!" Ritsura didn't waste time and immediately took out Nenekirimaru and prepared for a fight. Hitotsume didn't answer, but she heard him preparing his sniper.

Ritsura intended to immediately jump at her, but then she felt a powerful Fear that made her pause for a moment. From the other side of the skyscraper, behind this woman's backs, an enormous, black skeleton with blue fires in its eye and mouth holes appeared and too quickly got dangerously close to them. It then raised its hand with obvious intention to crush them, but Takarabune immediately reacted and lowered itself to dodge the attack. Then, the living ship surprised Ritsura and Hitotsume by quickly rotating itself vertically, forcing them to start falling down.

"The hell are you doing?!" Hitotsume demanded, but, instead of answering, Takarabune then made a fast horizontal turn and hit them with all of its strength. They flew far away and their fall was, by no means, painless. But they were successfully thrown away from the imminent danger, which was doubtlessly what the Takarabune wanted.

Ritsura ignored her pain and immediately jumped back to her feet. The scene she witnessed when she did so was horrid: Takarabune tried to flee from the floating giant skeleton, but the enemy was as fast as it was big and, with both of its hands, it caught the flying vessel. As she was too far away to be able to do anything, she could only watch as the proud youkai Takarabune was minced into wooden boards and thrown into the skeleton's mouth and hear the skeleton chewing it.

Ritsura didn't even realize she had started running towards it until Hitotsume grabbed her, "Calm down, Ojou!"

Ritsura tried to get away from him. She wanted to make that youkai pay the same price that Chimei Senko had payed. She saw far too many die this night.

"Ojou, you felt that guy's Fear! Even the First, with his Hyakki at his back, would get himself busy with it! You, who have nearly nobody with you, will just end as its snack!" Hitotsume continued. "Besides, you must have realized by now who that bitch is! That thing is unlikely to be the only one protecting her!"

Ritsura then kicked the ground with her foot in anger, freezing everything in her vicinity to the point that even Hitotsume fell down, no longer holding her back. But she didn't continue running and, instead, fully aware she couldn't do much and that she had missed her chance to kill the enemy's leader, she could only watch as Shiori jumped onto the skeleton's hand. Shiori also threw her a quick glance, and, for some reason Ritsura remembered the gesture that Shiori had made when their eyes met, which only made her angrier.

"Ojou..." she felt Hitotsume's hand on her shoulder. "We gotta get out of here before that monster drops down on us!" his voice was shivering as he talked.

"Don't worry. It won't be attacking us. If it were, Shiori would continue sitting at a safe distance." Ritsura answered coldly. And, as she predicted, the floating skeleton turned in another direction and started leaving. She did not have any idea where they were going, but they were getting farther away from where she was planning to go.

"Phew... I was already seeing Kokehime making pearls at my funeral!" Hitotsume didn't hide his relief.

"I hope you have your guns with you." Ritsura said, still looking in the direction the skeleton took. "The streets ain't exactly empty."

"Of course I have." She could hear Hitotsume taking out something from his pockets. "While we're at it, I can feel more of those bastards coming after us. We should get on our..."

Ritsura turned towards him. "Uncle Nyuudou, sorry for asking you this, but could you keep them away for some time while I go forward?"

"I am no uncle of yours, brat." Hitotsume replied with a small smile. "Wouldn't it be safer if you didn't go alone?"

"It is not only the Yuki Onna and human bloods that flow through my veins. I am sure you are aware of that." She replied to him and started walking. "If I am alone, there is hope I get away without meeting too many enemies."

"As you wish." Hitotsume accepted and shot a bullet into the darkness in front of him, causing something to scream in pain. "But don't let anything happen to you. Or else, your mother will turn me into a snowman!"

"Don't worry. I'll by evading most of them." She raised Nenekirimaru. "Most of them... but first, an eye for an eye." she said and ran towards the group of youkai in front of her.

**()()()()()()()()**

"Ahh..." Kiyotsugu Saaya felt frustrated. Sitting in front of her computer in her room, she was thinking about the current situation.

While talking with Ritsura over the phone, the connection was cut and couldn't be re-established. Usually she would think Ritsura's battery went out but she knew Ritsura well enough – there was no way she would not check on her battery when lives were at stake. And since Saaya heard no sound before it broke, she was certain Ritsura's cell wasn't destroyed. That left only one (creepy) possibility: the enemy blocked their communication. Saaya's suspicions were confirmed after she tried phoning the Nura Clan and other people in her phone's address book. Nobody from the Clan could be reached while her human friends were available.

She leaned on her chair, deep in thoughts. Ever since Shiori spoke to Ritsura using all kinds of tech present on the street, Saaya had the feeling she would also be able to influence their communication. She could try to be creative and find another way to contact them, but next time, the enemies could take the simpler route and attack her. She could move somewhere else too, but what if she was needed in the meantime? After all, although Saaya could not fight, she was able to take her father's role of keeping the clan informed about what is going on around the city and by collecting information about the Urban Legends, most of whose powers and weaknesses could be found on the net.

Sound of bells ringing took her attention. _Well, guess they decided to both block the connection AND deal with me, _she concluded. Since the Kiyotsugu family was in close relations with the Nura and offered them technological support, there is always the threat of Nura Clan's enemies attempting to use or attack it. For that reason, her father had placed various protections around the mansion, including the one that alerts them when supernatural beings broke into the mansion.

Saaya didn't panic. She hit a few buttons on her keyboard and the surveillance cams around the mansion showed her a video footage in which three youkai broke into her house through an opened window. One of them had a head of a frog and was wearing a purple kimono. Second one was a hare in brown robe and was carrying some kind of steel staff. The third one was a two meters tall bulldog who was sniffing around. Saaya had no doubt the bulldog will track her scent to her room.

_That's enemy logic for you: send one youkai on warriors of the Nura Clan and three on a helpless human girl. Well, no time to lose._ Saaya thought as she opened a drawer of her working desk and took out a few talismans that were given to her by her father's Onmyouji friend, Keikain Yura. She then stuck the talismans around the closed doors of her room and she sat on her bed, embracing a teddy bear while keeping an eye on the video footage. Knowing she had to remain calm, Saaya took a few deep breaths. _Come on... this is neither the first nor the last time you found yourself in danger. You have strong protections, including a back-up plan if it comes to the worst!_

As she expected, the dog-like youkai was the first to reach her bedroom, breaking the doors in the process and almost ruining all of her calming exercise. But before the youkai could even properly look at her, the talismans flew up, surrounded the dog and exploded, leaving their victim seriously wounded.

"What was that noi-" the frog youkai ran into her room and stopped after noticing his comrade squealing on the floor. He then rose his frog eyes towards Saaya, "You will pay for this, you bitch!"

The hare was the last one to enter her room. He also looked down towards his fallen comrade but, unlike the frog, he didn't seem affected, "Heh... I told you to stay careful." He then looked towards Saaya. "What is it, little girl? You think that teddy will protect you?" he asked, comfortably holding his staff on his shoulder.

Saaya smiled and put the teddy down on the floor, "What if I tell you it will?"

"Now that you mention it... I do feel _Fear_ coming out of that thing." he took a more cautious position. "It might be a tsukumogami..."

The teddy brought itself up onto it's feet and turned towards the intruders.

The frog didn't seem impressed, "Bah, what can something so small do to us?"

The teddy started running in their general direction.

"I mean, just look at how cutely it runs." the frog smirked.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." the other party stayed careful.

**()()()()()()()()**

_Three years ago, in the middle school that Saaya was enlisted in, a certain transfer student wanted to join a certain club…_

"_Hello!" a red-haired transfer student entered the clubroom and bowed in front of Saaya. "Is this the school's youkai club?"_

"_This is the Supernatural Investigation Club." Saaya answered and returned her attention to playing solitaire on her tablet. "But Youkai Club is our nickname so you aren't wrong either. I take it you have something to report?"_

"_Nope, I want to join the club" the girl declared._

"_Kh...!" Saaya's body stopped moving. Shima and Ritsura had just graduated, why were they already getting recruits?_

"_Well, I guess I should introduce myself!" the girl continued. "Please call me Ichinoe Araya. You are the president of the club, right?"_

"_Not by my own will..." Saaya complained to herself but accidentally said it aloud._

"_You don't seem very... enthusiastic..." Araya gave out an awkward smile. "...for the club president, that is."_

"_If I said my name is Kiyotsugu Saaya, would you understand?"_

"_Ah... so you are the daughter of The All-knowing Kiyotsugu-sama..." Araya recognized the name, as one would expect from a youkai enthusiast. "Family business, I take it?"_

"_You got that one right." Saaya sighed. "Anyway, I guess I should welcome you to-"_

"_Huh? Do we have a guest he-" Rihan asked as he entered the clubroom but went silent after noticing Araya. "I... Ichinoe?" he asked with an obviously fake smile._

"_Ah, Rihan-kun!" on other hand, Araya was as cheerful as before. "I didn't expect a han'you to be a member of a youkai research club."_

"_You know her, Rihan?" Saaya asked for formality's sake. They obviously knew one another and Araya even seemed be aware of his youkai blood._

"_Yes, we got to know one another few days ago... and yesterday she moved to my class." He answered. "Ichinoe... don't tell me you want to join the club?"_

_Araya answered with an energetic nod and Rihan's skin turned pale._

"_Aha... I see..." Rihan put his hand under a chin, as if thinking about something. "Did Saaya tell you about The Test?" Rihan asked and raised his pointing finger._

"_A test?" Araya asked with a smile._

"_A test?" Saaya asked in confusion._

"_Yes, a test!" the usually silent Rihan acted all enthusiastic now. "I must warn you that our club accepts only the best of the best! Thus, you must prove yourself!"_

"_Heeeh..." Araya seemed entertained. "And what kind of test is it?"_

_Rihan showed her three fingers on his left hand and five on his right. "To prove your investigating skill and efficiency, you have to find THREE rare supernatural phenomenons or youkai in FIVE days! But I repeat: rare! So keep in mind it must be something that is not commonly known!"_

_Araya stayed silent for a few moments and then muttered. "Five and three."_

"_Five and three?" Rihan repeated._

_Araya walked up to him, softly grabbed his collar and lowered his head to her height. "Three phenomenons in five days is too easy. I'll find you FIVE phenomenons in THREE days." She then let his collar go, walked to the exit, bowed and left._

_Rihan was still looking at the doors when Saaya said: "Well, this will be an interesting Saturday. Let's call all the members!"_

_Truth be told, Saaya cared less about these phenomenons and more about seeing Rihan in despair._

)(

"_Here we are, folks, the first destination of our tour." Araya said to the members of the SIC as she brought them to some kind of store hidden in the old parts of the city._

"_This place?" Shima seemed unimpressed. "Well, it does look spooky."_

"_Ahhh... why did I have to wear my new dress?" Mayuri said, obviously worried about trivial things. "Even from here, I can see the inside is dusty."_

"_The Super Teddy Shop..." Rihan read the name of the store. "What kind of stupid name is that?"_

"'_Dark Hunters are not allowed to enter'." Ritsura read a warning on the doors. "Oh, there is another warning beneath it... 'Any Dark Hunter that enters will get taught a lesson by a Teddy Bear'. Whatever these Dark Hunters, are they are not liked by the store's owner."_

"_Look at this pamphlet..." Saaya said as she took out a pamphlet that sat on the small desk in front of the shop. "The only good Dark Hunter is a dead Hunter. If you agree and want to discuss further, send an e-mail to..."_

"_So far, so good, Ichinoe-san." Onieda Mamoru said with a nod. "Let's see if it is as impressive from inside."_

"_ARE YOU DARK HUNTERS?!" an very unfriendly old grandma shouted the very second they entered. For some reason, she was holding a baseball bat in her hands. She also had fake bear ears on her head. It was obvious why the place looked as if it hardly had a customer._

_Everyone shaked their heads._

"_ARE YOU HUNTING DARK HUNTERS?!"_

_Once again, everyone shaked their heads._

"_Welcome, sweeties, to my Teddy bear shop~" the bat disappeared and the grandma now looked like the friendliest person in the world, as if the scene from few moments ago never occurred. "Want to eat some candies while you look around, sweeties?"_

"_Hello, Shino-Obaa-san." Araya greeted her with a smile. "I brought some friends here."_

"_Oh, you are Araya-chan's friends?" faster than anyone Saaya had ever seen, the very friendly grandma took out a small desk from a nearby room (that looked like a teddy's head) and a few stools (that looked like teddies). "Here, have some sweet, warm tea for all of you!" with the same speed, she put cups of tea (with pictures of teddies engraved in them) on the desk._

"_T... Thank you very much." Mamoru said and everyone took their cups of tea._

"_Just how fast was that granny when she was younger?" Shima wondered as he sat down. "You know, I bet she was a beautiful athlete..." he then closed his eyes and started daydreaming._

"_I'll let my tea cool down a little. Anyway, there sure are many teddies here..." Ritsura commented as she looked around, finding out the place was just a dusty, western-like shop which only sold one product: teddies. At least there were different kinds and sizes of the toys._

"_There can never be too many teddies, sweetie." The very friendly grandma commented._

"_Anyway, Ichinoe mentioned that there is something weird about this shop." Rihan commented._

"_There is nothing weird here, sweetie." the very friendly grandma replied. "These are just teddies."_

"_Hoo..." Rihan smiled and looked towards Araya._

"_Hee..." Araya also smiled and then looked towards a teddy. "Oh, my, I want a candy but my legs hurt. Is there a valiant hero who would save me?"_

_Suddenly, the teddy jumped down and, while everyone silently looked at it in shock (aside from Shima, who was still daydreaming), it ran to the counter, took the bowl of candies and put it to the desk after which the teddy fell onto Araya's lap._

"_Heh." Araya smirked at Rihan._

"_See, it is just a normal teddy that helps and protects its master." the very friendly grandma said as if it was completely normal. "I can't count the number of times they saved me from those evil Dark Hunters and their scary monsters."_

"_Wait... every teddy here is like that?" Ritsura asked._

"_Yes, all of my five-hundred teddies are like that." the very friendly grandma said with a smile. "But then, what teddy isn't like that? Ho, ho!"_

""_CUTEEE!"" Mayuri and Ritsura shouted with stars shining in their eyes._

"_I'LL BUY A DOZEN!" Mayuri declared._

"_I'LL BUY AN ENTIRE HYAKKI!" Ritsura declared._

"_He, he... Sure sweeties, just choose the ones you like."_

"_Please, nee-san, don't buy something that stupid." Rihan asked._

_The next moment, Araya positioned herself behind him and started strangling him with her arm. "What did you just say? Did you just call teddies stupid? Do you also have something against girls who still sleep with teddies?"_

"_Brat... let's go drink some tea in the backroom and have a little chat." the very unfriendly grandma pointed towards the doors (with a teddy face engraved on it) while holding the baseball bat in her hands again._

"_I think he has trouble walking. But don't worry, Rihan-kun, I'll help you." Araya said and started pulling him into the backroom._

_Rihan, unable to speak, held his hand towards his sister but both she and Mayuri were busy choosing teddies. Shima was still daydreaming, Saaya intentionally ignored him and started browsing while Mamoru just absent-mindedly watched the light-hearted atmosphere, leaving poor boy to face cruel destiny._

_And, as Saaya came to learn soon after, those teddies were incredibly strong youkai._

)(

"_Here we are, folks, the second destination of our tour!" Araya proclaimed in front of a dark alley._

"_Ugh... another creepy-looking place..." Saaya commented._

"_Well, we are a Supernatural Investigation Club!" Ritsura replied while patting a small teddy that sat on her shoulder. "Creepy places are what we are supposed to visit!"_

"_Good thing we have teddies!" Mayuri said with a big smile, hugging a teddy bear._

"_Look at this picture, Nura-kun!" Shima was showing Rihan something on his cell. "After carefully analyzing the granny's attributes, I concluded she looked like this when she was younger. Very hot, am I right?"_

"_Yes... Teddies are awesome." Rihan said in a dull tone, not paying any attention to him. There were no signs of physical violence in him but it was obvious the poor Han'you suffered in that backroom._

"_This also looks promising, Ichinoe-san." Mamoru commented. "Please, do lead the way."_

_And so, the SIC walked into the dark alley. The place had such a creepy vibe that nobody made a sound, besides lifeless Rihan preaching about teddies and Araya humming some kind of song. Finally, they reached the end of the alley. There, sat a man clad in black clothes and hat and smoking a cigarette. Next to him, there was a table and some kind of parchments with a price tag hanging above them. It should be noted that the price was not exactly low._

"_Well then, I see that quite a few puny mortals today seem to want to gain the power to make devilish contracts." he said and exhaled a big puff of smoke. "Or did you just get lost?"_

"'_Devilish contracts'?" Saaya repeated. "Please, do explain."_

"_You see, this is no ordinary paper..." the man said as he took a piece of paper into his hand. "First, your write a contract onto it. You know... defining rules and all that good stuff. Then, the one who makes a contract puts his signature on the bottom and... voila! They're forced to follow the terms of the contract!"_

"_Ooooh..." Ritsura seemed intrigued. "Ho, ho, ho, ho..." and then made a sinister laughter._

"_That seems quite useful actually..." Saaya commented._

"_Hmph... heard about that scam. A few people have bought it and tried it out but it didn't work." Rihan, who had seemingly returned to his old self, smirked. "Ichinoe, you know what that means, right?"_

"_Nah, 'tis no scam. There are just copycats..." Araya said while sweating. "Honestly, this is a true devil contract."_

"_Your words say one but your body is more honest." Rihan pointed a finger at her. "You failed the test, Ichinoe!"_

"_Why not try it out, then?" the man seemed untouched by his customer's skepticism. "Why not make a devil's contract with the girl? Of course, you will buy the parchment."_

"_No... no need." Araya rejected._

"_Ha, trying to get out of this eh?" Rihan smiled. "Alright, we will buy a parchment and try it out." He said and turned towards Araya who, to his horror, was now smiling. "Ichinoe... why are you suddenly so confident?"_

"_Nura-kun, sorry to complain, but... this was just such an obvious trap." Shima said and sighed. The rest also shaked their heads._

"_Kh...!" Rihan turned to stone after realizing his mistake._

"_Alright, the contract has been written!" Araya proclaimed. "Here, Rihan, do sign it."_

"_Ah... hah..." Rihan took the paper into his hands and read it: "'I, Nura Rihan, son of Nura Rikuo, thereby proclaim this to the writer of this contract: for the next fourty-eight hours, I shall act towards you like a butler from a Shoujo Manga, take care of your well-being and constantly compliment everything you do, no matter how stupid or wrong I actually think it really is'." Rihan read it and looked towards Araya._

"_You promised to try it out... and I am not buying another parchment." Araya said as she gave him a pen._

"_Heh, heh... well, not like it is gonna work." Rihan tried to grasp onto his hope as he accepted the pen. "Alright... so better write my name and surname."_

"_Does the order of the name and surname matter? That is, would it accept only a signature in Japanese style or would it also work if it was signed gaijin-style: name first, surname second?" Saaya asked the man. Rihan looked at her as if she were a traitor. Seems he hoped to avoid the contract by reversing the order of the names._

"_No, it doesn't." the man shrugged. "You can even put your nickname. The contract can't be cheated by something that simple."_

"_Ugh..." Rihan took a deep breath. "Well, you only live once!" he said and signed it._

"_So... how is it, little brother?" Ritsura asked with a sinister smile._

"_I don't feel anything weird happening." Rihan shrugged. "Though I am pretty sure it works in a way because I know that the kind and smart Ichinoe-san would never be able to disappoint us."_

"_Oh, look! It worked!" Ritsura proclaimed with a big smile. "I am gonna buy quite a few of these!" she then averted her eyes aside. "And use them wisely… keh keh…"_

"_Heh, she sure got you there, Rihan..." Saaya said to him._

"_Of course, I was very stupid to think my lady could be wrong..." Rihan said with a pained expression. "But now I know better and shall be more careful and considerate in future."_

"_Hum, hum..." Araya nodded. "Well, that takes care of the second case."_

"_Indeed, it does. Shall we see what great thing you have in store for us next?" Rihan said as he grabbed Araya's hand. "Oh, yes, you did say your legs hurt you in that shop, didn't you?"_

"_You know that was a lie. But what does that have to do with any—HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"_

_The next moment, Rihan grabbed her and put her over his shoulder as if he was carrying a potato sack, "Now, now, my dear lady, no need to be so considerate towards us. Your legs hurt and I, who am sworn to take care of your well-being, shall carry you myself!"_

"_Put me down! I already said my legs don't hurt!" Araya demanded. "Don't you dare carry me through filled streets like this!"_

"_Sorry, my lady, but your well-being comes before everything else. The contract put quite a focus on it." Rihan said as he started walking away. "Granted, I do pathetically consider this an act of revenge, but the fact is that this is for your own well-being."_

"_Gaah! I knew it was intentional!"_

"_Oh, and it is kind of hot here isn't it? Here, let me cool you down a bit." He said and started waving her skirt up and down._

"_Gyaaaah! Get your hands of my skirt you pervert!" Araya started grabbing her skirt while Rihan laughed. "You got your revenge now put me doooown!"_

"_You know..." Saaya started talking while watching the circus. "As entertaining as the scene may seem... This kind of pisses me off."_

"_You can say that again." Mayuri agreed. "How come I didn't come up with the same idea she had?"_

"_No... I am pretty sure she didn't plan that to happen." Saaya noted._

"_Well then, let's see what else Ichinoe-san has in store for us." the always-calm Mamoru said. "Don't worry, I bought enough paper for all of us."_

"_Huh? What do you need that paper for, nii-san?" Mayuri asked him._

"_Sensei stuff, of course! My students will LOVE it!" Mamoru said with a sinister voice. "Fu, fu, fu... they will finally meet their God..."_

"_And thus, the age of darkness for our school starts." Saaya sighed and the rest of the group started leaving the alley as well._

**()()()()()()()()**

"What an embarrassment..." the hare youkai complained. "To be beaten by a teddy bear and forced into a human's servitude by that contract thing... the entire youkai world will laugh at us!"

"Less complaining and more work, please!" Saaya admonished the intruders.

"But why do we need to be dressed like this?" the frog youkai complained. "Why couldn't we have gotten the butler clothes?"

"Because you tried to kill me, that's why. Until you make amends, you will have to stick it out!" Saaya replied. "Now please stay silent, I have my own work to do!"

After the teddy bear beat them up, Saaya offered them two choices: death or making a contract with her that would cause them to become her servants and bodyguards until she decided to release them from their service. Of course, they chose the second option, and, for extra entertainment, she had also forced the two men to be dressed like maids while they clean the house as she worked on her laptop. The dog was still wounded but had also made a contract with her, using his paw as a signature rather than written text.

Then, she got a video call from her laptop. "Father!" she immediately accepted it and the next moment she was looking at her father's face.

"Hi there, lovely daughter~!" Kiyotsugu greeted her, cheerful as ever. No matter how much she liked to complain about him, she was happy to see and hear him her father after all she had to go through. "I heard it is quite rowdy there in Tokyo~"

"Yes, the Nura Clan youkai are fighting in the streets... I tried to contact you but I got the message you were off-limits."

Now that Saaya thought about it, it was quite possible that Shiori had blocked him as well. "But how did you hear about it?"

"Ichinoe-kun contacted someone in this town and they found me and told me about the whole situation." although he took a more serious expression, he still left an impression of a cheerful person. "Though it took some time to break through all these hacks... but, hey, your daddy knows what he is doing! Ha, ha, ha!"

"So Araya-san found you..." Saaya felt quite indebted to her today.

"Anyway, how are you? Nothing happened, I hope."

"Ah don't worry, Tou-san! I managed to hire some youkai as mercenaries!" Saaya lied to him. She didn't want to worry neither him nor her mother. "Where is Kaa-san, by the way?"

"Ah, she fell unconscious due to meeting a youkai up close. She is still scared of youkai but I am sure she will soon get over her fear soon!"

"Will she now?" Saaya asked with an awkward smile. No matter how many youkai she met, Saaya never saw her mother get used to it. And seeing how she had heard her mom deal with youkai since she was younger, she was pretty sure she'd never get over it.

"But I am proud to see you dealing with this all so well." her father gave her a big smile. "Not only hiring protection but I also heard you took care to keep the Nura Clan in order. I am so proud of you!"

"Heh, don't mention it..." she wasn't sure why, but she felt happy to hear the praise. "Anyway, I lost all the contact with them. Shiori seems to be-"

"Don't worry about it, I shall take from here." her father winked. "Rest a bit and then I'll ask you a favour."

"'A favour'?"

"Yes!" he put on a serious face again as he typed something on another computer. "Seems the enemy has quite a Hyakki Yakou here. It is worrisome that they managed to build a Hyakki Yakou on Nura-kun's very turf and I'd like you to look into it. Not sure if we'll need to know more for today, but you never know."

"Hai!" she nodded. She wasn't sure she would be able to find anything but she didn't want to bother her father by mentioning it, who now had more important things to do. "I'll leave you to deal with this then. Good luck."

"You too, Saaya. Take care!" he said with another of his big smiles and ended the call.

_Well, then... guess I should get to work._ Although her dad suggested her to rest she didn't want to waste precious time. _Actually, I should call her first..._

She dialed Araya's number hoping she was not blocked.

"Hello?" Araya answered the call. "Ah, Saaya... did your dad call you?"

"Yes, he did." Saaya replied. "I heard I have to thank you for finding him."

"No worries. I am glad to be of help." Araya answered. She sounded a bit tired.

"By the way, are you at home?"

"No, I am actually in a hotel room." Araya answered.

"Huh? What are you doing in a hotel?"

"Resting. I was supposed to be on a party but since its main guest, Onieda Masato, probably won't be coming, I decided to leave those perverted rich old farts. You know how it is at such parties." Araya sighed.

"Ah, so that's what you meant when you said you were busy... wait, I thought Masato was going for his home?" Saaya started to be worried if she sent Ritsura in wrong direction.

"The party is held close to the Onieda Mansion so that is a trivial information. Else I'd have mentioned it." Araya assured her. "Anyway, I take it there was a reason for calling me during this whole mess?"

"Ah, yes, right! I wanted to ask you to be careful, I myself was attacked."

"What?!" Araya seemed concerned. "That isn't... who attacked you?"

"Three youkai broke into my house and assaulted me. A two meter-tall dog, a hare with some steel stick and a frog dressed in a kimono." Saaya replied. "But don't worry... thanks to you taking us to that teddy shop years ago, I am safe. And thanks to those contracts I got on the same day, I was able to... well, get servants... heh, heh..."

"Ah, I am glad to hear you are alright..." Araya sounded relieved.

"You take care as well... best move somewhere else, so Shiori doesn't find you."

"Don't worry, I will."

"By the way, if you know something about what is going on or where I could learn more, please mail me." Saaya asked her. "Dad asked me to look into it you see."

"Alright, if I find out something important I'll let you know." Araya told her. "By the way, did you question those youkai that _visited_ you about it?"

"I intended to do that now. Anyway, take care and... thank you for all the help."

"No biggie... just be careful in case someone else comes." Araya replied. "Well then, I better go. C'ya!"

"Yeah, c'ya!" Saaya said and ended the call. "Hey you two, come here now!"

"You called for us, Ojou?" the frog asked, still holding a broom in his hands. The hare followed soon after. Saaya started wondering if she should let them dress in more normal clothes because men in maid clothes was kind of distracting.

"Yes... let's talk about what is going on out there." Saaya said and showed them towards a sofa. They sat onto it, looking nervous. "Shiori sent you, am I right?"

"Ummm... no." the hare replied. "We don't work for Shiori-san."

"You don't?" Saaya was surprised. "They why did you attack me? I thought Shiori sent you because she thought of me as a bother!"

"No, it wasn't her." The frog replied. "Our client just thought of using the situation and..."

"'Client'?" Saaya repeated. "You are assassins or something?"

"Mercenaries, to be exact..." frog said while sweating. "With a good reputation if I may say so... but after what happened today..."

The hare, who was the more composed of the two, cut in, "Anyway, our client said something about using the situation and eliminating the Kiyotsugu family while the Nura Clan is busy. Seems he has something against the Nuras you see."

"Ah... so there are other factions playing this game..." Saaya wasn't too glad to hear the whole situation was more complex than it originally seemed. "So, who is your client and what is his relationship with Shiori? And please don't talk about professionalism: your lives are at stake here."

The frog gulped but the hare remained calm. "As you say, Ojou... we may be punished for this by _him_ in the future, but I'd rather try to face that than die here like this. Anyway, from what I understand, our client is opposed to both the Nura clan and the youkai serving Shiori-san." he informed her. "The one who hired us is Yanagida, the Prophet of the Cult of Sanmoto Gorouzaemon himself."

**()()()()()()()()**

Rihan, in his youkai form, was running through Tokyo. However, he was neither in a rush nor bothered to be too careful, even though he knew around five enemies were tailing him from the shadows, likely thinking that he was unaware of them. It was not that they were bad at hiding, though. Actually, Rihan was impressed at how they kept following him, not making a single sound.

But it was useless. He wasn't fully sure why, but he has developed an ability that allowed him to feel an Urban Legend's presence. Even if they were invisible, soundless and as fast as a train, he would know where exactly they are. To him, who spends a lot of time hunting urban legends, it was an very useful ability.

But although he knew they were nearby, he didn't intend to face them just yet. The number of humans on the streets may have lessened, but was still only '_lessened_', so he ran towards a location where he could worry less about a random human stumbling upon him and his enemies and more about dealing with his pursuers. And that was the location he had just reached – as far as humans were concerned, it was an abandoned school dormitory with a courtyard that resembled a park. As far as youkai were concerned, however, it was a place which many Urban Legends through the entire century called their home. Due to some nasty youkai residing there, two months ago he and his sister raided it. Rihan didn't know if more youkai moved in already, but he didn't really care: if a villain faces him, he shall make short work of them. In his youkai form, he rarely felt merciful.

"Alright, guys, here we are!" he shouted to the air as he put his sword on the shoulder. "Come on, get out already. I know you were following me." he challenged them, but nobody came out. "If you want, I can even count you. Let's see... one is hiding behind the outer wall... another one is hiding behind a tree with a friend sitting on it and the fourth has just sneaked into the dormitory behind me."

Finally realizing that hiding was useless, the four mentioned youkai came out. The youkai who had sneaked into the dormitory looked like a mummy, but was dressed in ragged businessman clothes and holding an axe. The one that had hid behind the wall was a young woman in a ragged red dress. Her left eye was wrapped in a bloody bandage while her right eye was widely open. In her hands, she held a loaded crossbow. The one hiding behind the tree was a thin, horned oni while the youkai that was hiding on top of the tree was a Tengu.

"Well, well... sure looks like a fun group." Rihan commented, feigning friendliness. "Seeing as you were stalking me... you guys are my fanclub, I take it?"

"Cut the crap, you bastard!" the mummy yelled. "What we want to do is kill you, not admire you!"

"We caaame to take reveenge..." the woman said in a tone so low a human ear could confuse it with moaning. "You will paaay foor killing myy..."

"Ah, 'revenge'?" Rihan interrupted her, not too interested in her last words and ignoring her angry moans. "Weren't you sent by Shiori to play with me or something?"

"'Plaaaay'?" the woman's arms started shaking. "Yesss... we caaame to plaaay."

"We don't serve anyone. While Shiori-san keeps your shitty friends away, we shall deal with you, boy!" the mummy shouted. "I assure you we'll finish you long before any of your friends arrive!"

"Hi, hi, hi! We shall BUTCHER you!" the oni said with a wide smile and started jumping from one leg to another. "And I shall take your HEAD and wear it like a—AKH!"

"You guys don't seem to have made your research... shame. This won't even be a fair fight, then." Rihan, now standing behind the oni whom he had just stabbed in the belly, proclaimed, while the other three youkai shifted their attention from what seemed to be a mirage to the real him. "Hmph, due to all the jumping, I missed the _spot_." he said and pulled the sword out. "Well, when you get to hell and meet whomever you came to avenge, tell them it was my pleasure." he said with a sinister smile and beheaded the oni with one swing of his sword.

"You damn coward!" the Tengu shouted and flew up.

"'Coward', eh?" Rihan looked up and smiled at him. "So what does it make the three of you, who shiver in fear before a coward?"

The Tengu did not reply and instead flew into the group of trees. At first, Rihan thought he was fleeing but he noticed he was carrying throwing spears, called javelins. Rihan realized what the plan was and, as he predicted, the Tengu threw a javelin at him. At the same time, the red woman released the bolt from her crossbow and the mummy jumped at him with his axe.

"Ah, the plan is better than I expected. But..." Rihan didn't move. There was no need – the three of them attacked his mirage.

"Damn it!" the mummy complained and made a long jump backwards. "Compose yourself, guys! Don't let his Fear confuse you any further!"

"You should have told them that earlier..." Rihan admonished him with a bored tone. "The attack will be futile now that I know how it works." and then he smiled, with sole intention of making them feel fear. "Thus the three of you are going to die." he saw his words hit the mummy and the woman. He wasn't sure about the Tengu, who jumped from one tree to another.

"A... attack!" the mummy yelled. The next three attacks failed as well, but not because they were targeted at the mirage – Rihan simply dodged.

"Come on, I didn't even use my fear..." He lowered his sword "Well, I guess this means you really don't have any other tactics planned. Seems it's safe to go offensive."

As expected, they used the same attack again. But this time, Rihan caught the javelin with his left hand, deflected the bolt by swinging his sword upwards and kicked the mummy's stomach, cracking his bones in the process.

"Hiriki!" the woman shouted in what was, at least for her, a loud tone.

"I... I am alright..." The mummy, who was supposedly called Hiriki, managed to stay on his feet despite obviously being in pain.

"Good. It is easier to hit your heart if you are standing." Rihan said and the next moment his sword pierced the mummy into it. "Now let's try and see if it will work this time."

The Fear started dripping from Hiriki and onto the sword, seemingly causing great pain to him. A heart was an important organ, even for youkai, usually serving as food that can make a youkai stronger and Rihan believed it could be used for other things as well. However, the morbid scenes stopped and Hiriki died like all the other youkai slayed by Nenekirimaru. "Tz, seems I need to concentrate better." Rihan looked at his sword. "Or is it because of this sword's nature?"

The sword Rihan used was similar to his sister's. Keikain Akifusa, who had remade the first Nenekirimaru, forged that one, but for certain reason, it was weaker than the original. Rihan wasn't sure if the technique he was developing continued to fail due to him needing more practice, that being an exorcist's sword or because it simply wasn't strong enough. But he'd need to leave the thinking for later. The Tengu, still hiding behind the trees, had thrown a storm of spears at him.

"What are you waiting for, Kairi?" the voice from Tengu's direction demanded. "You don't have time to waste!"

The crossbow woman, supposedly called Kairi, just stood and shivered as she watched Rihan dodge the spearss.

"Damn it, what kind of hunter are you?" the Tengu continued not stopping with his attacks. "Did you forget why you are here? We have to-"

"Too noisy." Rihan said and took a gigantic cup of sake out of nowhere. "I hate using this technique because of the heat it causes, but I really want to just get this over with... _Meikyou Shisui_!" as those words left his mouth, blue fire exploded amongst the trees where the Tengu was hiding. The Tengu was barely able to let out a short scream before he got turned into ash.

"No... waay..." The despaired Kairi fell onto her knees. "How coome..."

"He called you Kairi, didn't he?" Rihan started talking. "I think I heard that name before..."

Noticing he was closing onto her, Kairi groveled backwards but was stopped by the dormitory's wall.

"Ah, yes... 'if you meet her on the street around midnight, she will start hunting you with her crossbow' or something." He was now standing next to her as she shivered, "You know, I always wondered... how does it feel when, for the first time in your life, you turn from the one who causes despair into a victim of despair?"

"_Good question!"_ a mechanical, female voice suddenly suddenly said. _"Maybe I could show you sometime?"_

Before he could even ask who it was or finish Kairi off so she couldn't be rescued, something hit his stomach and pushed him all the way into a tree. Then it flew away before Rihan could even see how it looked like.

"Who are you?!" he asked and raised his sword. He couldn't feel anyone for some reason, but somehow, knew that this enemy was far more dangerous than the four youkai that attacked him.

He didn't get an answer. Instead, black skulls with blue fires in their eye sockets and mouths flew and filled the place with blue light. He could feel Fear coming from those skulls so he was certain it was the work of some youkai – likely, the youkai that had hit him. What he wondered was why he couldn't feel it coming.

"You know, there is a tale that is being written." Rihan heard a female voice say. "A tale about two Maou and an angry slippery eel that thought itself a knight." He was able to see the voice belonged to a young-looking woman wearing a mask and western dress that entered the dormitory's courtyard. "How do you think it will end? In tragedy or comedy?" she asked with a smile.

He didn't answer. Instead, he looked over her and the skulls, prepared to be attacked. He also felt he should finish Kairi as he had no intentions of letting someone like her get away. But the moment he made his first step...

"You know, there are certain circumstances when your kind of Fear won't work." the woman said while her red eyes kept contact with his. "So don't bother."

"Hmph." Rihan sighed and crossed his arms, as enough time had passed for him to regain composure. "So you are immune to my sneaking?"

"Not really. As I said: circumstances." she answered and then turned towards Kairi, who just realized there was still hope for her.

"Shi... Shiori-saan...?" Kairi muttered as she brought herself onto her feet.

_Shiori?!_ Rihan's grip on his sword strengthened.

"So, what will you do? Run away or continue with your fight?" Shiori asked Kairi.

Kairi looked at Rihan for a moment. But when he threw an angry look at her, she chickened out and started running away, only stopping to give a small bow to Shiori as she passed her.

"Running away..." Shiori started as she looked towards Kairi. "Such a development usually leads to the character getting killed in few minutes... or puts it onto a quest to getting stronger and returning with a vengeance." Shiori turned towards Rihan as she took out a fan from her pocket and opened it. "Maybe I should ask her to join my clan? She seems promising."

"Do what you want. If I see her again, I'll kill her no matter how strong she is." Rihan said and sat under a tree. "Well, that is if you yourself manage to get away from this situation that is."

"Hmm, you don't look too concerned about my presence."

"I am resting, reviewing my situation and making plans. Maybe some help arrives in meantime as well." he told her. "But if you want to cut to the chase, feel free to do it. Time is on my side after all."

"Really? We are away from cameras so your friends should think you are playing around with small fries as they never saw me come. It is more likely they'll lend help to someone who they know needs it." She seemed to also be at ease as she sat on a nearby bench herself. "On other hand, my allies might come any time."

"Oh, don't worry, I am not one to shy from retreating if I need." he shrugged.

Although the head of the enemy clan was sitting few meters in front of him and her death could end the war, Rihan didn't rush and attack her. No matter how attractive the idea was, he had to compose himself and think his situation through. He learned the value of caution the hard way and lives had been lost for him to realize that attacking someone without thinking could often end in tragedy, especially when the enemy was someone prone to backstabbing and deception.

Shiori was a person he felt would be an dangerous opponent. Even if he didn't know she was the leader of the enemy Hyakki Yakou (and likely someone with the ability to create youkai), the fact that she was so relaxed and confident in her safety would have alerted him. He was certain she had something planned and he had to try to see what she may have planned. He was a little worried about the fact that he could not feel her or her pet, but as long as he could see them, that was a trivial problem. If possible, he could make her lower her guard and attack by surprise.

The person called Shiori put her hand into her pocket, took out a candy and threw it into her mouth.

"So, why talk to me rather than my sister?" Rihan decided to be the one to start a conversation. "Wouldn't she be more interesting than me?"

"Oh, the two of us are talking... even at this very moment." Shiori winked. "This is, after all, a battle between her and me. Words are not the only method of communication. So, while I am here, I decided to have a chat with you..."

"So you really are the one behind this? Are those youkai your creations or..."

"Who knows..." she shrugged. "I am not the one to give spoilers."

"Hmph, I see you are enjoying this whole situation." Rihan frowned. "Well, not that I expected anything else. So... what did you want to talk about?"

"_Matoi_..." she then started to speak while playing with a candy. "A technique developed by the Nidaime of the Nura clan, Nura Rihan himself. It is a technique representing harmony of light and darkness, trust and... love. Truly, an honorable technique."

"Come on, don't be stingy. Throw a candy or two this way." he requested her.

She threw him two lemon-flavored candies and continued, "And then comes his grandson and namesake. Not having much trust nor love, he makes an abomination out of it, representing hate and death. I don't say it is not pretty in it's own way, but some would call it disappointing."

"You sound scared. It is made for killing murderers like you." Rihan didn't seem touched by her words. "If you thought such lame words would shake me up, you are watching too many dramas. Like my grandfather, I only want to protect."

"'Protect'? You?" she seemed entertained. "Do you know what is the biggest difference between you and the rest of your family... your clan? Why you are unable to be in sync with them?"

"Guess you will tell me. Throw some more candies, by the way."

"What a sugarophile." she complained and then threw more candies towards him. "They want to protect, thus they kill. You want to kill, thus you protect."

"Interesting. Please, do explain more." he teased her.

"You know... there is a tale about a thief who was killed and then turned into a youkai obsessed with killing youkai... until a certain Nurarihyon came and taught him better." She said.

"Ah, you mean Kubinashi." Rihan smiled. "Yes, he repeats that story to me over and over claiming I am like what he used to be." he looked back at her. "You agree?"

She didn't give him a direct answer. "Your sister fights with sole wish to protect. Killing ain't the point, it is the consequence. You, however, fight to kill and protection is just a consequence... and an excuse. That's why you didn't stay with Onieda Mayuri. That's why you were more concerned about finding a place where you could kill those four youkai without interruptions." she frowned. "That's why you weren't concerned about the fact that your sister was going to face my army of youkai alone."

"I trust the strength of the Toono youkai. I know Mayuri will be alright." he answered calmly.

"So why not let them take care of the enemy while you protect your _own_ friend?" she replied. "If I am attacking her father, it is to be expected I would attack her as well."

"Seeing how well you planned all this, you would have attacked her sooner or at least some of your youkai would have been following her and Mamoru-sensei. Yet I know you didn't so I take it you are not interested in her. Am I wrong?"

"No, you are right. She is not someone I am interested in." her words made Rihan feel a bit calmer. Although he sounded as if he were assured of Mayuri's safety, he had his doubts.

But there was still something that worried him. "What about Mamoru-sensei? Where did he disappear?"

"I am not interested in him either." She answered him. "As for where did he go, why not ask him yourself tomorrow? Or whenever you meet him next time. So, why did you bring those four here?"

"It was safer to bring the enemies here." He told her. "People like them would not mind using humans as a shield."

"You could have finished them all in a minute. Not to mention that humans like visiting spooky places like this one."

"I am confident in my abilities, but am not deluding myself." He answered. "And if there were humans here, I would have finished them in less than a minute just like you suggested."

"So why didn't you?"

"I wanted to practice the technique which called abominable." He said and winked.

"Just as I thought. Rather than finishing them off and going to help your comrades whose lives are in danger, you wanted to practice your technique." She gave him a sinister smile and Rihan couldn't come up with a quick answer. "Nothing to say I see? Alright… so what about sister?"

"My sister is strong and resourceful enough to take care of an entire hyaki." his eyes narrowed. "Not that you would dare to harm her."

"Ha, ha..." she laughed. "True, I still don't want a full-out war... neither do lesser clans and youkai. They may have a grudge against you, but everyone respects your charming sister. However... Mizuchi of the Kyuushuu Clan would happily kill her. Yanagida-san would happily butcher her. The Shin Sekai would murder her, if she is lucky. Certain exorcists would also not mind slaying her, I think. If you sum it up, that's around sixty percent chance she meets someone who wouldn't mind killing her."

"Ah..." Rihan sighed, stood up and started stretching his arms. "You are even more tiring than Kubinashi. Didn't expect that from a murderer. But I know myself well enough to say you are full of bull. All in all, that I do not jump around those I care about does not mean I don't care about what happens to them." he looked her into the eyes. "Believe me, I trust them. And, if you know what is good for you, you'd better not make me show you how much I care about what happens to them." he took out his sword. "But let's say your words hold water. Whether protecting is a reason or a consequence doesn't matter: it is protection. But I don't think someone like you would know the meaning of that word to begin with."

She looked at him for a few moments and then started laughing, "Well, you sure are a tough nut to crack." she looked at him again, "Well, I should be glad I guess. Boys with strong will are commendable."

He didn't reply. Time for talking was over as far as he was concerned. Hoping to catch her by surprise, he jumped towards her with intention of finishing her before she could even blink, crossing more than five meters in a second. Her face didn't stop smiling when his sword got close to her, though he noticed that she was sweating. But he was too focused on her to the point he didn't notice that another youkai joined them until it got too close. Reflexively, he moved aside and turned his sword around as to block any incoming attack, but he failed – a sword thrust into his left shoulder and he jumped backwards as fast as he could, increasing the space between himself and Shiori's bench.

"You went for a kill there..." Shiori complained to the youkai that joined them. "...Hikine."

"I was worried about your safety, Haha-ue. So I forgot that part of your orders." Hikine said, then turned towards Rihan, who immediately realized that he was lying – Hikine looked at him the same way Rihan looked at the Urban Legends: a look that showed he wanted to kill you no matter what.

"I really hope you follow the plan." Shiori complained. Then, one of the floating skulls floated up to her, grew in size and black bones started growing from it, turning it into something that looked like a skeleton. Shiori jumped on it's head and, after a few seconds, Rihan was looking at a floating giant skeleton (which only had the upper part of its body).

_This is bad... I don't know what that thing is, but it gives me chills._ He lowered his eyes and saw Hikine standing in front of him, watching his every move. He did not know how strong Hikine was, but he knew that he, the skeleton and Shiori together made a dangerous combination. However, only one person needed to die for him to consider that battle a victory. As long as he defended himself against Hikine, broke through that skeleton's defense and slayed Shiori, he could retreat with a clear conscience.

Shiori, now sitting on the skeleton's head, looked at Rihan, "It is not consequence that matters here nor what is right or wrong, but character development which ain't so convenient that good deeds mean bright future for everyone. If I just let it be, the answer to my question from before shall be _tragedy_." Rihan saw her frown again, "But I myself would prefer a _comedy_... no, I must at all costs take care it ends in a _comedy_." By her words, one could see in her eyes that she would not allow anything to stand in her way, "But, enough talk. I am sure the youkai blood in both you and Hikine is already boiling, so... let the battle commence."

* * *

**Author Notes:**

And here we are, chapter 8. The fic's second largest chapter up to date. Makes me really wonder why I thought I could have finished all this in two big chapters...

We start the chapter with a story about Koushin faith and Shomen-Kongo. The Koushin religion is present in Japan and Shomen-Kongo was actually mentioned in the Manga in chapter 106 and related to both Ao and Shoukera and shown as a demon rather than a benevolent Kami. So I decided to include him in my fic, made him buddies with Gorouzaemon and gave him a title of the Maou. Now, what plan did these two make nine years ago... Sanmoto plotting with other Maou's doesn't necessarily end well.

Back to the present, we see that Hitotsume and Takarabune's arrival gave Ritsura only a small break. Shiori doesn't waste her sweet time and Ritsura will need to deal with more obstacles in the way. Still, she is getting closer (in a way... he is in a car after all).

Most of chapter however belonged to Saaya and her flashbacks. Although she is a human with no special abilities, Saaya knows how to tale care of herself and has quite an inventory of charms. Even without Araya introducing her to those nice thingies three years ago she may have gotten out on top, one way or another.

The flashbacks themselves her fun to write and a good break from all the action. Also, wonder if we will ever get to "see" the other three attractions Araya had planned...

We also had a mention of the Dark Hunters. for those who don't know, they were introduced in one of Volume 25 omakes and the lead of Hiroshi's Dark Pawn omake is practically a Dark Hunter as well... and for some reason I felt a need to mention them here.

And if you thought Rihan had it easier than Ritsura, we now see that he ended up having to deal with the big bad herself... and she sure likes to talk about weird stuff.

Anyway, thanks for reading and hope you review! Thanks to my regualr reviewers for their support, Citsimsan for Alphaing, Suki90 and Dennou for being my willing Betas and, of course, Shiibashi Hiroshi for writing the NuraMago Manga!


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